New England Patriots: N’Keal Harry putting in the work

N’Keal Harry is doing everything he can to ensure that he will be a major part of the New England Patriots this season.

Last season we didn’t get to see a lot of N’Keal Harry. For a 1st round draft pick, the New England Patriots didn’t use him a lot.

Part of this isn’t Harry’s fault. He got injured in the preseason and we all know how much Tom Brady loves young receivers.

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Now things will be different. With Jarrett Stidham leading the way I expect Harry to get a lot more targets.

Harry’s athleticism is off the charts. When he gets into open space he is a problem. Harry can also use this athleticism to go up and make some amazing catches.

One of the most important things for receivers in the NFL is to gain separation. It’s hard to catch the ball if a defensive back is draped all over you.

Harry has been putting in a ton of work this offseason. He seems like a man on a mission. In 2020, Harry has worked with noted footwork specialist Rischad Whitfield for the majority of the offseason.

It seems that Harry was taught some false information growing up. His coaches always told him to stay low but that actually hurt Harry. Whitfield is fixing Harry’s technique.

"“He gets really wide, so I’m keeping him working with his base narrow and a little bit higher, just like a boxer,” Whitfield said. “This is the prime example I give him: You can’t box with no footwork. You got to bob and weave and move out of the way. They’re nimble. They’re light. I got to get him to that, because he’ll get wide. He’ll stomp. He’ll move his feet, but it’s so heavy that it’s not going anywhere. He’s not moving the defensive back vertical.”"

This should definitely help out Harry in 2020. On comeback and out routes he will be better able to gain separation and make life easier for Stidham.

We have to remember that the pinpoint throws that Brady was able to make probably can’t be replicated by Stidham. The young QB will likely need more space and more time to get the ball to receivers.

2020 could be a breakout year for Harry. We may finally see what he is truly made of. The Patriots drafted Harry in the 1st round for a reason.

The 2020 season will be an interesting one for the Patriots, but personally I can’t wait to see what kind of numbers Harry puts up. They might just surprise some people.