Former ASU head coach explains why N’Keal Harry struggled in the NFL

N’Keal Harry was incredibly successful in his three years playing for Arizona State football. In his career in Tempe, he racked up over 3,000 total yards from scrimmage, 25 total touchdowns, and over 200 receptions. In his sophomore and junior seasons, he finished No. 2 in the Pac-12 in receiving yards. He finished his career sitting at No. 22 overall in Pac-12 history in receptions, despite just three seasons of college football.

Harry was a physical specimen, standing 6’4 and 225 lbs. The Chandler native was expected to do big things in the NFL and was taken in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots.

Unfortunately, things just haven’t worked out in the NFL for Harry. His former college coach, Herm Edwards, explained why.

Herm Edwards explains why he believes N’Keal Harry didn’t succeed in the NFL

Herm Edwards, regardless of how you think of him as a coach, brought a lot of talent into Tempe. He even broke a handful of rules to do so. Harry was one of the most talented players that Edwards coached while being the head coach at ASU from 2018-2022.

In an interview with Tyler Dunne of Go Long, Edwards explained why he believes Harry didn’t find success in the NFL.

“He had too many followers, man. That’s what killed him. That poor kid,” Edwards told Dunne. “He had hanger-on’ers. And it was like, ‘C’mon, N’Keal.’ Because talent-wise? He’s got enough talent. He’s a big, strong physical receiver to catch the ball. And then he went to New England. That was the worst place for him to go because it just didn’t fit. That didn’t fit him.”

In Harry’s three seasons with the Patriots, he appeared in 33 games, catching 57 passes on 103 targets. He racked up 598 receiving yards, with four touchdowns. Simply not the production that a team is looking for out of a first-round pick, three seasons into his career.

“Talent sometimes can be a curse. I’ve always said that. If you don’t use it correctly, it could be a curse to you,” Edwards said. “You’ve got so much talent and you think, ‘I got this.’ You ain’t got it. Because the problem is, you’re going into a league where everybody’s got talent and you’ve got to work at it. You’ve got to have work ethic. You’ve got to focus in on football. Football’s got to be the No. 1 thing. It can’t be what football provides you.”

After New England

Harry moved on from New England in 2022. The former ASU football standout suited up for the Bears, snagging seven receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown in his lone season in Chicago.

In 2023 Harry appeared in nine games for the Minnesota Vikings, being called up to the roster after an injury to superstar WR Justin Jefferson. The 26-year-old didn’t log any stats in 2023.