Though no one can doubt the legendary Bill Belichick’s coaching prowess, drafting players has never been his biggest strength as the coach of the New England Patriots. And among the picks of his who haven’t panned out, few in recent memory have been as widely criticized as receiver N’Keal Harry with the final pick in the first round two years ago.
The former Arizona State player has appeared in just 21 games over the last two seasons and has only 45 catches for 414 yards and four touchdowns. The fact that he was taken with D.K. Metcalf, A.J. Brown, and Mecole Hardman all available makes that lack of production even more painful for the Patriots.
After an offseason in which the team signed multiple pass-catchers in receiver Nelson Agholor and tight ends Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith, Harry formally requested a trade from New England.
With the 23-year-old apparently heading elsewhere, Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon listed the Jaguars as one potential landing spot for Harry, who has two years remaining on his rookie deal plus a team option on a fifth year.
This is another “why not?” scenario. Harry might not be ready to challenge DJ Chark Jr. or Laviska Shenault Jr. in Jacksonville, but it’s still unclear how those guys will adapt to a new quarterback and a new system, and newcomer Marvin Jones Jr. has a pretty clear ceiling at this point. Plus, for what it’s worth, Chark is slated to hit free agency next offseason.
Harry would have a shot at the No. 4 receiver job for a team that is building up slowly and could give him some time and space to develop with Trevor Lawrence under Urban Meyer. However, he may be required to change his name to “N’Keal Harry Jr.” in order to fit in.
Considering the relative cost-effectiveness of his contract and the fact that his trade value would likely be minimal, targeting a player like Harry to bolster receiver depth could make some sense for Jacksonville. However, it would add yet another body to a group that is getting crowded after adding Marvin Jones, Phillip Dorsett, and Jamal Agnew this offseason.
The Jags also don’t really need him, as Chark, Shenault, and Jones should prove to be a more than capable starting group with guys like Dorsett and second-year player Collin Johnson as depth. Harry would, however, give the team a larger target than Chark. Both players are 6-foot-4-inches, but Harry has 27 pounds on Chark.
Still, given his meager production through two years, there doesn’t seem to be much for Jacksonville to gain in pursuing Harry unless coach Urban Meyer really believes in his talent and wouldn’t mind parting with a late-round pick to give him a shot.
