The book is still out on N'Keal Harry, that's for sure.
After missing a good chunk of the 2019 NFL season with an ankle injury, the Patriots' first-round pick in last year's NFL Draft finished with just 12 catches for 105 yards, also running for 49 yards. For the No. 31 overall pick, most would expect more, especially considering the successes of second-round picks Deebo Samuel (49ers), A.J. Brown (Titans) and D.K. Metcalf (Seahawks).
Is he going to be good enough going forward, or should the Patriots prioritize the position again this time around? Making that conversation even more interesting is the surplus of high-end receivers in this year's Draft.
"I think if you need a wide receiver, which the Patriots do, fast, big, small, quick, all flavors of the ice cream are here in this draft," said NFL.com Lance Zierlein when appearing with Ken Laird and Nick Stevens on WEEI Saturday afternoon.
The uncertainty surrounding Harry also begs a question asked by Laird: Where would the former Arizona State star land in this year's Draft?
"I think N'Keal Harry would fall about the same place," Zierlein said. "I think he would potentially be the back-end of the first.
"Look, he's a competitive guy who relies too much on contested catches. But I remember talking to the late Darryl Drake, God rest his soul, from the Pittsburgh Steelers who was a wide receivers coach and he was a guy I would talk to. He and my dad coached in Arizona and I had known Darryl for a while. I remember talking about N'Keal Harry specifically and I said, 'Coach, I don't know about this guy. He doesn't separate. He doesn't get open.' He goes, 'Lance, first of all, separation in college and separation in the pros are two different things. He has just got to open enough and he has to own that catch space.' He said if he can get with a team with an accurate quarterback we can coach up as wide receiver coaches some things in the routes. There are some things we can help him do. He said he's super-competitive. He's big and strong. He said, 'I think he will be OK.' Of course, he goes to Tom Brady and we're saying maybe this is the perfect fit for him.
"Now, he's going to have to work a little bit harder and really fine-tuning the routes just like JuJu Smith-Schuster did with the Steelers because he is going to have to open that window a little more. I think that is very, very possible and I like what he brings in terms of a big, strong body. I watched it with DeAndre Hopkins in Houston for years and years. Those kinds of guys can win in the league if they really are very physical and competitive once the ball goes up because if you can't own that catch space it doesn't matter, you can't play in the league. But N'Keal Harry can do that. I think he relied on that too much in college because he knew he could beat guys up. It's a little harder in the pros. But once he figures out the pro game and grows into it I think he has a chance to be a pretty good receiver there."
