From youth football, to Chandler High School and then to Arizona State — N’Keal Harry has been a star at level. Don’t expect that elite status to change for the massive 6-foot-3, 216-pounder whose skill-set has NFL teams drooling just days before the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.
“Harry is the type of kid that you’re looking at nowadays in the NFL with receivers,” NFL on FOX and NFL Network Draft Analyst Charles Davis said to Sports360AZ.com’s Brad Cesmat in a recent phone interview.
Davis talked about how the mold of the desired NFL receiver has changed over the years. The Mel Blount Rule, which was established in 1977, banned cornerbacks from making contact with receivers within the first five yards of the line of scrimmage.
With the rule in place, teams looked for smaller, quicker receivers who could turn a five-yard hitch route into a 75-yard touchdown.
With the evolution of NFL athletes teams now have the best of both worlds with players like Harry.
“Lately, what have we been seeing again?,” Davis asked. “Monster-sized receivers. Big, tall people but they can run now. Now not only can they go over you, they can go past you. That’s what I see with N’Keal Harry and that’s why he’s so attractive to people.”
In his three seasons at ASU Harry caught 213 passes for 2889 yards and 22 touchdowns. He also added three rushing scores.
Some project him to go as early as the middle of the first round due to his physical attributes, sure hands and ability to make plays after the catch.
“He has that frame now which is that classic wide receiver frame, classic wide receiver body,” Davis said of Harry. “Now how do you go about and defend him? Which means the defensive backs now are starting to get longer again.”
The 2019 NFL draft will be held April 25-27 in Nashville, Tennessee.
