It’s never too early to start thinking about the NFL Draft.
The draft is where NFL teams are built. Teams can find pieces to the puzzle in free agency, and make waves through trade, but building a core on cheap rookie deals is the best way to work toward the Super Bowl.
Over the past two years, the Washington Redskins have had some success with this method. All of their ten draft picks from the 2017 NFL Draft are still with the organization, and aside from Derrius Guice, who was lost prematurely to a torn ACL, all of the Redskins’ 2018 rookies made the 53-man roster, including supplemental draft pick Adonis Alexander. On top of that, three undrafted free agents made the cut as well: Casey Dunn, Danny Johnson, and Cam Sims.
This isn’t the Over the Hill gang anymore. The youth movement is real. But why stop in 2018? In 2019, the Redskins will look to maintain the influx of young talent. And they’ll have plenty of options.
Today, we’ll start our Saturday Spotlight series, taking a closer look at specific college football prospects who can make an impact next year. Our first man up? Arizona State wide receiver N’Keal Harry.
N’Keal Harry Player Breakdown
For Arizona State junior receiver N’Keal Harry, there’s a lot more to like than not. At 6-foot-4, 220, he’s a very imposing player at the receiver position, and he’s no slouch when it comes to speed. He’s not a top-end speedster, but he’s fast enough, and he makes up for it with incredible elusion and explosion after the catch. He’s a very tough player to bring down.
Of course, you can’t get run-after-the-catch yards without, you know, catching the football. To do that, the process has to be complete. From the start of the snap to the whistle. For Harry, the process refinement is still in progress, but he has a number of tools at his disposal that will be very attractive for all 32 NFL teams, not just the Redskins.
Harry’s production matches the hype. In his freshman season, he caught 58 passes for 659 yards and five touchdowns, while also striking the end zone two more times on the ground. In 2017, his sophomore season, he emerged as the Sun Devils’ premier receiving threat, amassing 82 receptions, 1,142 yards, and eight touchdowns. Lacking production is one thing that might turn scouts away, and it’s one thing Harry doesn’t have to worry about.
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Harry’s most obvious strength, aside from his run after the catch ability, is his ability to high-point the ball and pluck 50-50 balls from defenders. He simply makes quarterbacks look good in those situations, and he has a very keen awareness of boundaries, whether it be on the sideline or in the back of the end zone.
Harry’s skills are reminiscent of Josh Doctson. He thrives as the go-to guy in close games, much like Doctson capitalized on opportunity in Seattle last season. Harry isn’t as explosive a vertical athlete as Doctson, but he offers more in other parts of the game. On top of all his skill, he’s a willing, physical run blocker who’ll help running backs get around the corner.
There are areas where Harry can improve. He shows flashes of crafty deception in his releases, but needs to be more consistent gaining separation. He doesn’t bring considerable burst out of his breaks, and his route running in general needs more polish. He knows where the seams of the defense are, but he needs to work on selling fakes and synchronizing his body. At just 20 years old, however, Harry has plenty of time to learn, and he already has a lot of things going for him.
N’Keal Harry 2018 Performance Update
N’Keal Harry has only played one game so far this season, but in that game, he showed off all of the traits that scouts swoon over.
In the Sun Devils’ season debut, a 49-7 walloping of the UTSA Road Runners, Harry was electric. He only caught six passes, but he converted them for 140 yards and two touchdowns. In the short highlight video above, you’ll hear Harry’s name a lot. Skip to the 1:37 mark if you want to see Harry’s impeccable elusiveness in action.
Sun Devils quarterback Manny Wilkins spread the ball around in the season opener, but against a better Michigan State defense, he might be forced to rely on Harry, the impact player of the offense, more often. Against 6-foot-3 Spartans cornerback Justin Layne, an intriguing but ultimately underdeveloped cover man, Harry should have no trouble maintaining his production in Week 2.
The Sun Devils and Spartans play late tonight; Kickoff occurs at 10:45 eastern time. You don’t have to watch, but make sure you check back for the highlights the next day. There’s a good chance N’Keal Harry will be there.
Relevance to the Redskins
The Redskins have a bit of a quandary at wide receiver. Two players at the position have contracts that expire in 2019, the most notable being Jamison Crowder. With other big contracts set to be added to the books with Brandon Scherff and Preston Smith facing looming extensions, Jamison Crowder could be a necessary casualty, and Maurice Harris with him, if Harris fails to earn another deal.
In addition to expiring contracts, Josh Doctson has yet to inspire full faith from the Redskins organization as the No. 1 receiver, and behind him, the depth is due to be shoddy at best.
With a speedster already locked up in Paul Richardson, the Redskins could add Harry in the first or second round as another tall, rangy target who can offer more than Doctson in certain situations. Harry would compliment the Redskins’ current weapons well, and he could add a new element to the receiving core that’s been lacking. As a high-pointer alone, he wouldn’t fit Alex Smith’s preferences all-too-well. But Harry, for all his ability in that area, has the makings of a complete receiver.
Depending on how he fares for the rest of 2018, Harry could slip into Round 1. It won’t be easy, especially in a strong receiver class that boasts the likes of D.K. Metcalf, Kelvin Harmon, Deebo Samuel, and others. At worst, he’ll go on Day Two. But if he can refine his route running, he could be a reliable NFL target for years to come.