Mike Mayock probably didn’t know he was summarizing N’Keal Harry’s rookie season. But that’s almost exactly what he did. The Las Vegas Raiders general manager indirectly, but aptly pointed out Harry’s development issues during a press conference on Tuesday at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis
Mayock was asked what inhibits rookie wideouts from contributing in a big way in their rookie seasons. His answer certainly applied to Harry.
“I think there are several reasons,” Mayock said. “The lack of quality press coverage in college football. When you’ve got a grown man trying to keep you from getting off the line of scrimmage that’s competent, long and tough, that’s a different issue.”
A handful of wideouts at the combine emphasized their ability to get off press coverage, but the truth is that it’s far less common in college football. For those unfamiliar, press coverage is when a cornerback plays close to the line of scrimmage to get physical (within the rules of the NFL) with the wideout. A good jam can ruin a route before it starts. But because press coverage is fundamentally challenging, college cornerbacks avoid it. So young receivers need to focus on their releases off the line of scrimmage to beat these press coverages at the NFL level. That was especially true for Harry, who looked slow off the snap in 2019 when he had 12 catches, 105 yards and two touchdowns in seven games.
OK, Mayock, you’re on to something. What else?
“No. 2, when you are able to get off the line of scrimmage, the picture changes, the coverage changes,” he said. “You could go from being the third option on the back side to the first option on the front side. And you have to filter that on the run without slowing down. So think about it, when you have to slow down, and you’re thinking, what happens? Physically, you’re slower. You’re not there. Why do guys not look as quick as they were in college? That’s usually the biggest telltale, cause they’re confused. They don’t know where they’re going.”
Harry looked sensationally athletic when the ball was in the air and in his hands. But when it came to getting open, he struggled to create separation, even more than he did in college. His inability to separate may be a product of the increased speed levels in the NFL. It may also come as a result of the Patriots’ highly complicated offense, which includes option routes on most plays. A player only knows his assignment if he can read an NFL defense as well as Tom Brady, the greatest quarterback of all time. Harry may not have moved well this season because he was confused about his route assignments.
Again, Mayock nailed it. Is there more?
“No. 3, it’s just how much offense you have to absorb,” he said. “I’ve met with some of the college wideouts already this year, and what they’re doing, half of them are doing this (turning his head) pre-snap. They look over to the sideline, and they have their own individual coach telling them what route to run. (Raiders coach) Jon Gruden’s head would explode. You better get in there and get in the huddle, and you better learn three positions, not one. What he’s asking you to learn is mind-boggling, so those are the three main reasons why rookie wide receiver production isn’t where it should be in the NFL.”
The Patriots moved Harry in and out of a few positions this season, but it’s likely that his knowledge of the playbook — and his ability to process a play call in the huddle — was a learning process. The Arizona State offense relied heavily upon sideline signals and almost never huddled. So when Harry went to New England, Brady’s verbiage surely sounded like a foreign language. Arizona State receiver Brandon Aiyuk, a potential first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, shared his thoughts on how the sideline signals impacted Harry’s transition to the pros.
“We were a signal offense (at ASU),” Aiyuk told reporters. “So for (Harry), going into camp, he was hearing NFL play calls and verbiage for the first time. So that’s one thing I’ve been working on this offseason, even before I get into camp, just so I can get used to hearing it.”
This all adds up to a natural year of development for Harry. New England needed more production from its receivers in 2019, but the team also probably recognized Harry needed seasoning. Perhaps in 2020, Harry’s game will speed up, as a product of his understanding of the offense.
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