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Patriots draft Harry to close out 1st round

Jennifer Stewart / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The New England Patriots selected wide receiver N'Keal Harry out of Arizona State with the 32nd overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft.

The Patriots entered the draft with a huge need at receiver and helped fill it with the former Sun Devils star whose game has drawn comparisons to a young Dez Bryant.

The selection made Harry the first wideout chosen by the Patriots in the first round since Bill Belichick became the head coach in 2000.

Harry earned a pair of All-Pac-12 nods over his three-year career with the Sun Devils. He hauled in 73 passes for 1,088 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior in 2018.

Harry and Oklahoma's Marquise Brown were the only two wideouts drafted in the first round Thursday.

Prospect profile

School: Arizona State
Height: 6-2
Weight: 228 lbs

Strengths

  • Big-bodied receiver who's very difficult to tackle in open field
  • Has excellent body control both after the catch and on contested targets
  • Easily overpowered smaller cornerbacks during routes
  • Very good short-area quickness for his size
  • Made a number of "wow" plays on tape
  • Excellent running slants
  • Technical route-runner that uses arm-over technique to separate
  • Legitimate red-zone threat

Weaknesses

  • Loses a bit of burst/speed in and out of breaks
  • Made a number of incredible catches, but also had a few disappointing drops
  • Doesn't beat press coverage as often as he should
  • Has reversed field and ran in opposite direction a number of times after the catch - may not work as effectively in the NFL

Bottom line

Harry is a physically imposing receiver who moves very well for his size. He's a scheme-versatile prospect who projects as a classic X receiver or in a big slot role. Concerns over his speed and athleticism were silenced after an excellent combine. Harry's route running - particularly his feet - needs a bit of fine tuning, but the first-team All-Pac-12 wideout has a number of high-level traits to develop into a potent offensive weapon.

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