Former Arizona State wide receiver N'Keal Harry said Thursday that he didn't see himself getting past the 33rd overall pick and it turns out he was right.
The New England Patriots selected Harry with the 32nd overall pick Thursday night to close out the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah ranked Harry as the 37th-best draft prospect.
"Harry is a big, physical wideout with strong hands and run-after-the-catch talent," Jeremiah wrote before the draft. "He isn't sudden in his release, but he powers through press coverage and he's adept at using his big frame to wall off defenders underneath and down the field. He wins a lot of 50/50 balls and has a special ability to adjust down the field."
The 6-foot-2, 228-pound Harry should immediately find a niche in the Patriots' offense, which is without wide receiver Josh Gordon, who remains indefinitely suspended. He will also have the benefit of receiving mentorship from veteran wide receivers Julian Edelman and Demaryius Thomas, and catching passes from quarterback Tom Brady is an added bonus.
Harry has the size and possesses 4.53 speed in the 40-yard dash. He also has the production with two straight 1,000-yard receiving campaigns to close out his college career.
The rookie receiver left college totaling 2,889 yards receiving and 22 touchdowns on 213 catches, capping off his career as a two-time All-Pac-12 selection in 2017 and 2018.
The defending Super Bowl champions have bolstered the offense in the first round in two straight drafts.
In 2018, the Patriots selected offensive tackle Isaiah Wynn and running back Sony Michel, and now follow up with Harry in 2019.
