New England Patriots: Can N’Keal Harry become top target for Tom Brady?
Did the New England Patriots find a true number one receiver when they snagged N’Keal Harry in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft?
The New England Patriots surprised us all when they took Arizona State wide receiver N’Keal Harry in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft. The need at wide receiver was obvious for the Patriots, but they have never taken a wide receiver in the first under Bill Belichick and Harry is the first wide receiver taken in the first round by the Patriots since Terry Glenn in 1996.
Simply put, this pick was unexpected. However, that does not mean that the pick was unwarranted. Harry is a big and physical wide receiver who has true first-round pick ability. He is the kind of player who can really open up the Patriots offense and gives them some much-needed size at the position.
Harry stands 6-foot-2 and weighs in at 228 pounds. He uses his size extremely well, showing the ability to box out opposing defensive backs and consistently make contested catches. He is also a tremendous jump ball receiver who high points the ball extremely well and consistently keeps control throughout the catch.
The Arizona State product did a lot of his damage out of the slot in college. He is a smart route runner who understands how to get open against a variety of coverages and is dynamic with the ball in his hands. He has some real upside in the run after catch department, showing an impressive combination of power and elusiveness for a wide receiver.
There are legitimate concerns about Harry’s ability to separate at the next level. He simply does not separate well against sticky man-to-man coverage. He does not beat press at the line of scrimmage often and typically allows the cornerback to stick with him throughout the route.
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This could obviously be an issue at the next level, but Harry’s ability to adjust to the ball in the air and make contested catches could make this weakness completely irrelevant. With an extremely accurate quarterback like Tom Brady, Harry does not have to create a ton of separation to have success. Brady should be able to feed his big new target regularly with back shoulder throws and seam routes that do not require much natural separation.
It is always difficult for rookie wide receivers to come in and make an immediate impact for the New England Patriots. Brady runs an extremely complex offense and expects a lot out of his receivers. If Harry cannot come in and learn the playbook right away, he may not be able to make much of an impact as a rookie.
That being said, the Patriots lack impact wide receivers and could really use a guy like Harry to come in and make his mark. Harry comes in as the most physically gifted pass catcher on the New England Patriots roster. Their offensive potential undoubtedly increases if Harry can make an impact.
With this in mind, the Patriots and Brady should give Harry every opportunity to prove himself. He will likely make some mistakes, but the Patriots’ offense ceiling undoubtedly raises with Brady throwing the ball to Harry as opposed to guys like Phillip Dorsett and Dontrelle Inman.
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Do not expect Harry to immediately come in and replace Julian Edelman as Tom Brady’s number one target, but he undoubtedly has the talent to make an instant impact in this offense. The New England Patriots found a good one in N’Keal Harry. Now, they just need to let him shine.