Patriots Select WR N’Keal Harry in First Round

The Patriots didn’t make their 32nd overall pick until close to midnight on Thursday but it was well worth the wait for me as they selected wide receiver N’Keal Harry, a player I had in my one and only mock draft of the spring.

I spent much of the last week expressing how much I wanted the Pats to pick a “presence” player, especially at wide out and tight end and that’s exactly what Harry is — a super competitive big receiver willing to do the dirty work.

How does Harry fit? Let’s dive in with some highlights and scouting reports.

First things first, the easy refrain today will be that the Patriots haven’t drafted a wide receiver in the first round since Terry Glenn. That rookie receivers have a tough time earning Brady’s trust, etc. Well, throw it all out the window because history has nothing to do with whether or not Harry will be successful. On paper, he’s a perfect fit and just the kind of “presence” the receiver corps desperately needed.

There’s an element of risk with every player, but Harry is the kind of player you’re happy to take a risk on because he’s going to bring it every day. What the hell does Chad Jackson or Taylor Price or anyone else have to do with Harry? Nothing.

The knock on Harry is that he could have a hard time separating at the NFL level, which let’s be honest, is a challenge for any rookie. But I loved this quote from a scout on NFL.com:

“All this talk about (his lack of) separation is overdone. In the league, nobody gets that much separation anyway. You have to know how to use your body and route leverage and you need strong hands. From what I’ve seen of him, he does all that stuff well.” — Wide receivers coach with AFC team
https://www.nfl.com/prospects/n’keal-harry?id=32194841-5265-4593-d716-d972ec2d4468

WIth Josh Gordon and Demaryius Thomas’ statuses very much up in the air, it’s not hard to immediately pencil Harry into a role in the offense. He might not step into the top X spot in minicamp, expect Phillip Dorsett to be keeping that spot warm, but he very well could be there by training camp if Gordon and Thomas can’t get on the field.

Across the board, scouts seem to agree that his hands, ability to win contested catches and physicality (which includes a full willingness to block) are his best assets. These are all traits we’ve seen the Patriots covet for the X receiver spot. Add in that he’s one of the best YAC receivers in the draft and it’s hard not to fantasize about him taking short Brady passes to the house.

Harry will easily step into a 3rd or 4th wide receiver role but has the rare chance to win a September starting spot if he can grasp the Patriots’ nuanced offense. He’s exactly the kind of jolt the offense needed and here’s hoping they make another couple similar additions today.

Evaluators who are obsessed with speed and deep separation will not like N’Keal Harry‘s skill set, but those who value contested catches, physical play and a genuine love of the game will be on his side. Harry can dominate on 50-50 balls and breaking routes, and in the right system, he could be an immediate No. 1 wide receiver with Pro Bowl potential.
Matt Miller – Bleacher Report