Redskins: How does Kelvin Harmon become the steal of the draft?
By Ian Cummings
Scouting Redskins WR Kelvin Harmon
Kelvin Harmon fell to Round 6, but his round grade is far from an indictment on how his NFL career will play out. In truth, the same thing can be said about… well, literally every prospect.
There are plenty of success stories from the later rounds in the NFL, and while those stories don’t have any bearing on future gems found, they’re reminders that it’s important to look at each late-round prospect not as simply a fifth-rounder, or a sixth-rounder, or a seventh-rounder, but instead observe their unique tangible traits on a case-by-case basis, and determine their true worth that way.
With that being said, what is Redskins wide receiver Kelvin Harmon’s true worth?
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At 6-foot-3, 213, Harmon has great size for an NFL receiver, and on the field, it shows. Size and strength consummate some of Harmon’s best, most overwhelming traits. Play strength is a term often used to describe Harmon, and it’s accurate; he’s reliable at the catch point, as he blocks out defenders and actively secures passes with an iron grip. He’s not often swayed by contact during the catch process, and his toughness could go a long way in contested situations. In those situations, he has excellent body control, with an innate sense of timing and the ability to high-point the ball.
Although Harmon does occasionally catch with his body, he’s generally good about using his hands to consistently secure the ball. He has good coordination on the vertical plane, and he has the focus to haul in sideline catches. With his traits, he functions as a dangerous red zone threat, but he’s even more than that.
Harmon’s polish is impressive. His 4.6 speed is notable, as it is the reason he fell to Round 6 when so many analysts had him higher. But the truth is, Harmon doesn’t need burner speed, because he does a lot of the little things very well.
There are no lazy snaps with Harmon, and while his timed speed might leave something to be desired, his play speed is very fast. Harmon uses a combination of quick feet and fluid torso movement to get open, and he knows how to manipulate leverage in tight spaces, to not only cultivate separation, but to put himself in the best position to snare the ball. Harmon has enough suddenness in his route stem breaks to create separation without top-tier short-area quickness, and he uses head fakes to tip false direction on occasion, misleading defensive backs. In general, Harmon showcases polish and nuance with his routes, and he clearly understands what it takes for a receiver with his traits to get open.
Harmon’s limitations show up most often after the catch. Up to the catch point, Harmon is superb, but he leaves something to be desired as a runner after the catch. He’s not particularly creative in this area, and he doesn’t often have the chance to gain yards after the catch against quicker cornerbacks who can close the gap. When he has space already, such as on screen passes, he’s able to use his strength, burst, and aggression to gain extra yards. But such circumstances don’t come around on every play, and Harmon is a catch specialist, anyway. If he gets extra yards by making guys miss, that’s a pleasant bonus. But that’s not his game.
Surprisingly enough, for all of Harmon’s good traits, one of his best might be his run blocking ability. He’s a very physical run blocker, whose long arms allow him to anchor cornerbacks with ease. He’s good at adjusting his blocking angle on the fly, and he’s a very consistent edge setter as a run blocker, regularly acquiring an advantage over smaller cornerbacks.
Overall, Harmon’s lacking top-end speed hinders him in certain specific areas, but it in no way makes him a liability. There are wide receivers who win like Harmon; without top-end speed, and with dominant play strength, catch-point focus, and attention to detail and nuance. @NoahDraft, who recently joined our podcast, likened Harmon’s play style to New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas. Neither of those players separate naturally, but they make up for lacking explosive traits with alpha-like solidity at the catch point.
Obviously, Harmon has lots of work to do to amount to anything close to what Thomas currently is, but Harmon is much more polished than his round selection suggests, and his traits bode well for his future. With the Redskins, there will be plenty of opportunity for him to showcase his true worth.
Tape Watched
Kelvin Harmon vs. Virginia (2018)
Kelvin Harmon vs. Boston College (2018)
Kelvin Harmon vs. North Carolina (2018)