The New England Patriots, for the first time since the 1996 NFL Draft (Terry Glenn), made a wide receiver their first-round selection in the NFL Draft. N'Keal Harry, a contested-catch ace hailing from Arizona State, was that very selection, going No. 32 overall to the franchise. In the wake of Rob Gronkowski's retirement and Josh Gordon's suspension, Tom Brady needs more weapons to throw to.
So far in training camp, Harry has impressed head coach Bill Belichick — a feat many don't accomplish. From ESPN's Mike Reiss:
“A big kid that runs well. Good catch radius. Very strong, physical receiver. He has a long way to go, but he’s gotten better every day and been dependable, durable, tough — making good progress.”
Harry is currently slated as a starter for the Patriots on most predicted depth charts. But, as Belichick says, he does have a ways to go. Though a walking highlight reel with big-time catches, head-turning runs, one-handed grabs, and physical route-running, he has his kinks. Pre-draft, the 6-foot-2 (more like 6-foot-4), 228-pound earned fans for his contested catching and critics for his inability to create separation and slower combine times.
Nonetheless, Harry projects as a weapon for the Patriots right away. Though he needs to improve his release and separation getting, it's hard to overlook his potential as a jump-ball ace and future No. 1 target. Belichick claiming improvement and dependability only helps his stock. If the Patriots can bring completeness to his repertoire, Harry may be around for a long time in New England.
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