Back in the 2019 NFL Draft, Bill Belichick made a rare decision for him and went with an offensive skill position player in the first round, selecting wide receiver N’Keal Harry from Arizona State with the No. 32 pick.
And in the ensuing three seasons, almost nothing about that pick has gone right for Harry and the Patriots. Between battling injuries, quarterback changes and just overall poor play, Harry has only recorded 47 receptions for 4 touchdowns in his NFL career. He requested a trade (with no takers) and opened the season on IR. But since coming back, Harry has only caught two passes and been targeted three times.
Still, no sequence could have summed up Harry’s time in New England better than this broken play from Sunday’s loss to the Cowboys.
N'Keal Harry has to go. This scrub hasn't learned the offense yet? C'mon man pic.twitter.com/ROytuu7ogL
— Ben Brown (@BenBrownPL) October 17, 2021
With the Patriots down six points in the fourth quarter and threatening to score, Mac Jones tried to send Harry in motion. But it became plainly obvious that Harry didn’t know the play and just stood there to kind of wing it. With the play clock ticking down, Jones finally got Harry’s attention to send him in motion. And it got even more embarrassing for the third-year receiver when we could audibly hear Jones tell him, “You got the out route.”
Like, Harry had no idea what he was supposed to do.
By the time Harry got set, the play was already doomed. Jones had to take the snap and throw the ball away (he also got away with a delay of game penalty). It was just a terrible look for Harry to be unaware of the play in a crucial situation. Despite being forced to waste that play, the Patriots managed to score a touchdown on the drive.
Harry, though, would finish the game with no receptions and no targets. And Patriots fans are stuck with the reminder that Harry was drafted over D.K. Metcalf and A.J. Brown.
That has to hurt.
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