Devy Profile: N’Keal Harry

Anthony Santigate Posted On August 10, 2017

Normally, I advocate taking players close to the NFL in devy league drafts. A lot can happen in one or two college football seasons. You don’t want to waste a valuable pick on a guy who is rotting on your roster while still in the NCAA. It can be a huge risk. However, Arizona State wide receiver N’Keal Harry has the potential to be someone you want to take that chance with. The 19-year-old freshman has the look and style of an NFL WR1, and he is just getting started.

Standing at 6’3, 212 lbs. Harry was a highly-touted high school receiver. ESPN ranked Harry as the number one receiver in the nation in their ESPN300 rankings. The Chandler High School (AZ) product received offers from essentially every major West Coast program including Oregon, Washington and USC. He is one of the mostly highly-touted commits in Arizona State football history.

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Harry did not disappoint. In the first three games of his collegiate career, the freshman racked up 15 catches, 181 yards and two touchdowns.

Say hello to N’Keal Harry. He’s a freshman WR at Arizona State and is our top-graded receiver in the country so far. pic.twitter.com/DBw6DHgx7j

— PFF College Football (@PFF_College) September 19, 2016

He went on to break the ASU freshman receptions record, ending the season with 58 catches. In fact, that mark was good for number one amongst all freshman receivers in the nation. Harry started all 12 games for the Sun Devils, and finished the season with 659 yards (good for second on the team) and five touchdowns. He was named to the Freshman All-American teams for Scout, Campus Insiders and Pro Football Focus.

In impressive fashion, Harry had his best game of the season against Washington, arguably the top secondary in the country in 2016. Against early NFL picks Kevin King, Sidney Jones and Budda Baker, Harry racked up six catches and 114 yards, good for 19 yards a catch. For the majority of the game Harry was shadowed on the left side of the field by King. Both players made some plays. Harry caught three passes for 97 yards against King, the second round pick of the Green Bay Packers, and King made a tremendous one-handed interception in the red zone.

More N’Keal Harry tonight. Check out this tracking, adjustment and ball skills against Washington. And #20, Kevin King. pic.twitter.com/MzxEwXKIPv

— Anthony Santigate (@SantigateNFL) August 3, 2017

Harry’s sophomore season (2017-18) has a promising outlook. Not only will he gain a year of experience, but ASU’s leading receiver from 2016, Tim White, has graduated. As a freshman, Harry recorded a 24% market share of the ASU offense, highest among all true freshman. This should only increase with the departure of White.

Quarterback Blake Barnett will be eligible to play in this upcoming season after transferring from Alabama. Barnett is a former highly rated high school prospect himself but needed a change of scenery after Jalen Hurts’ breakout freshman year. Barnett will compete with Manny Wilkins, last year’s starter, for the job. Running back and NFL prospect Kalen Ballage will also be returning.

Harry’s style on the field mostly stems from his use of his very large frame. While the ball is in the air he uses his body to shield and position himself in between the defender and the ball. He will often utilize his long arms to push off the defender a bit before the catch, a savvy move for a 19 year old.

At 6’4, 210~ he can be a RZ monster. Nothing the CB can do. Maybe a little OPI here but I’m all for the physicality. pic.twitter.com/nvz68UnX1p

— Anthony Santigate (@SantigateNFL) August 1, 2017

He sometimes struggles to separate from defenders, but the ASU coaching staff did a good job of finding ways to get him the ball. In space, he is deceivingly quick. He often makes the first defender miss, especially on quick screens when he has a step or two to get going.

He definitely has some DT/Dez to his game. Big guy but agile, can fit through small holes. Tough as hell. pic.twitter.com/JAyIl7JLbA

— Anthony Santigate (@SantigateNFL) August 3, 2017

Harry compares favorably in both size, style and production to Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas. All three are larger receivers who can go up and get it in the end zone but still bring quickness and yards after the catch to the field.

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*Stats are from the receiver’s Freshman years.

Like Bryant and Thomas, Harry has the look of an NFL WR1. However, he will need to up his production in his sophomore year. Double digit touchdowns should not be out of the discussion for Harry with a productive offense in the high scoring Pac 12. He is an exciting receiver who will continue to get NFL looks as we get closer to the 2019 NFL Draft.

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