How did N’Keal Harry do at the NFL Combine?
Former Arizona State Sun Devils wide receiver N’Keal Harry may have just entered the round one conversation with a strong NFL Combine performance.
Arguably one of the top five wide receiver prospects in the 2019 draft class, former Arizona State standout N’Keal Harry came into the NFL Combine with something to prove. Many draft analysts, such as Brad Kelly of the acclaimed “The Draft Network”, believed that Harry would have one of the most important combine performances, needing to prove his speed to scouts at the next level.
By running a solid 4.53 forty-yard dash at 6’2″, 228 pounds, Harry dispelled the notion that he’s too slow to shine at the next level. While Harry’s 40 time isn’t in the same ballpark as the Herculean D.K. Metcalf or 6’5″ monster Hakeem Butler, speed might not be a liability for the ASU product in the NFL.
Widely expected to be drafted on Day 2, Harry may be locked in as a second-round pick. His other Combine numbers were quite good, too, as he posted a strong 27 reps on the bench press (tying Metcalf) and a 38.5-inch vertical that also ranked among the top 10 prospects at the wide receiver position.
Harry, however, wisely didn’t run the three-cone drill or 20-yard shuttle, as both drills may have knocked his draft status down a peg. Metcalf, for example, blew scouts away with his 40-yard dash, vertical jump, and bench press but posted well below-average numbers on the drills that test agility and short-area quickness. Since the three-cone drill and 20-yard dash don’t grab headlines, it makes sense for a prospect like Harry, who may not shine in either, to skip out on a drill that is otherwise forgettable – far more people pay attention to the 40-yard dash and vertical.
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A 1,000-yard wide receiver in back-to-back seasons for the Sun Devils, Harry averaged nearly 15.0 yards per reception in his junior year despite the speed concerns. Also featuring as a returner for Arizona State, Harry is known for his physicality and ability to gain yardage after the catch. It’s hard to see him being drafted as high as Butler, Metcalf, Kelvin Harmon, or Marquise and A.J. Brown, but Harry is, at worst, a Day 2 pick after a productive collegiate career and above-average display at the NFL Combine.