Arizona State isn’t exactly known for churning out skill position players. In fact, no Sun Devils receiver has reached the 1,000-yard mark in the NFL since Bruce Hill for the 1988 Buccaneers. N’Keal Harry could put an end to that drought.
Harry has the tools to make an immediate impact in the NFL, and he should be viewed as one of the safer prospects at his position in this draft class.
Here’s a closer look at a few areas in which he excels and how he’ll fit into an offense at the next level.
Gets Physical to Create Separation
Since Harry lacks the blazing speed to create separation, he has to resort to other means. One of the ways he does this is by occasionally initiating contact with defensive backs and using his physical strength to separate himself from tight coverage.
Here’s an example (in slow motion so you can see his quick contact) of Harry initiating contact with Michigan State cornerback Justin Layne.
Later in the game Harry again beats Layne by initiating contact, just missing out on a big play due to an overthrow:
It’s worth noting that Layne was a legitimate lock-down corner this year, allowing just 10 receptions on 33 targets in man coverage, according to Sports Info Solutions.
This skill set particularly benefits Harry on quick routes, often when he’s lined up in the slot. These routes rely heavily on timing, and a receiver who lacks the elite quickness to avoid press coverage, needs to be able to physically fight through when he’s challenged.
Winning in Contested Situations
The most important trait for any big receiver who lacks elite speed is to have the strength, body control and hands to win in contested situations. And he needs to demonstrate these skills on a consistent basis so that his quarterback comes to view him as an “always open” target, even when he isn’t.
Harry developed this trust with Manny Wilkins at Arizona State.
Here’s another battle between Harry and Layne of Michigan State. Despite strong coverage, Harry runs his route with perfect timing, turns to locate the ball and, most importantly, is the aggressor in the situation as he goes up to pluck the ball from above Layne.
Layne is a relatively physical 6’2″ cornerback, so it’s no small feat for Harry to win this battle. If he’s able to consistently win these challenges at the next level, he will quickly emerge as a No.1 receiver in an offense.
Hands, Body Control and Concentration
These traits are closely tied to the skill set referenced above, but they also help Harry win in all other situations.
Wilkins isn’t the most accurate quarterback, so Harry gained plenty of experience adjusting to poorly placed balls and he regularly came down with them.
Even with defensive backs often impeding his path to the ball, Harry has a knack for adjusting his body to get into position for the play. And once he’s in position, he comes down with everything. According to Sports Info Solutions, Harry had just six drops on 89 catchable targets in 2018 (6.7 percent).
Here’s one of the better catches of his career against UTSA:
The Next Michael Thomas?
Harry’s ability to win with size and physical play on the outside could draw comparisons to a range of receivers, but a more unique aspect to his game is his ability to play in the slot.
Historically, we tend think of slot receivers are smaller, quicker types—Wes Welker is a classic example. But the NFL has started to use bigger, more physical receivers in the slot, much like the Saints use Michael Thomas.
Harry excelled in this role at Arizona State, which accounted for just over one-third of his targets, and he actually averaged more yards per target in the slot than on the outside:
As a bigger receiver in the slot, you need to run precise routes, have the ability to get physical when necessary and soft hands to wrangle the bullet passes that are often forced your way when the quarterback comes under pressure. Much like Thomas, Harry checks all of these boxes.
Bottom Line
Whether or not N’Keal Harry actually reaches Michael Thomas’ level of production is tough to say. That’s a lofty comparison and, of course, it doesn’t hurt that Thomas has a Hall of Famer feeding him the ball. But much like Thomas coming out of Ohio State, Harry should be viewed as a prospect with an extremely high floor. Receivers with strong hands, a willingness to get physical with defensive backs and the body control to win in contested situations tend to reach a high level of success in the NFL.
Harry’s versatile skill set and experience lining up out wide and in the slot should ease his transition into the league and, if he lands with a veteran quarterback, he could make an immediate impact in 2019.
