For two decades, the New England Patriots refrained from drafting a wide receiver in the first round.
So, what makes N’Keal Harry so special?
The Patriots selected Harry with the 32nd overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft last month, making him the first wide receiver chosen in the first round by New England since Bill Belichick took over in 2000. Now, the Patriots must figure out how to best incorporate the Arizona State product into their Tom Brady-led offense, and NFL insider Jay Glazer fully expects New England to be creative.
Here’s what Glazer wrote in a mailbag published Wednesday on The Athletic, in response to a question about how the Patriots will utilize Harry:
The Patriots utilize players differently than everyone else, so considering Harry’s size, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels do some creative things with him. He gives them a big body on the outside, on the inside, in the slot; there are all sorts of things they’ll do with him. They line tight ends up as running backs, wideouts as running backs, RBs at WR, even WR at cornerback in the past.
It depends on how quickly he picks up the playbook. The Patriots constantly put in a ton of new stuff. You have to make sure you’re on it or else you will not see any playing time over there.
Glazer didn’t exactly go out on a limb. It’s no secret the Patriots are willing to experiment with players, with an eye toward putting them in a position to succeed and thus help the organization. But it sure will be interesting to see what that means for Harry, who’s listed at 6-foot-2, 228 pounds and was known in college for being able to outmuscle opposing defensive backs.
The Patriots lost a few players from their offense this offseason, including All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski to retirement. Adding Harry could be a game-changer, though, as the 21-year-old seemingly carries more upside than any receiver drafted by the Patriots in the Belichick era.
