Clicking with Tom Brady and the Patriots shouldn’t be an issue for N’Keal Harry, says his former college coach
N’Keal Harry’s former college coach Charlie Fisher doesn’t see the Patriots’ playbook being an issue for the “very bright” rookie receiver.
Patriots wide receiver N’Keal Harry (#1) at Arizona State. (Courtesy Arizona State Athletics)
Arizona State Athletics
Arizona State AthleticsPatriots wide receiver N'Keal Harry (#1) at Arizona State. (Courtesy Arizona State Athletics)
From the Patriots Draft Hub at 985TheSportsHub.com
N'Keal Harry clearly has considerable talent. He's big and athletic. He can leap and make contested catches as well as any prospect in the 2019 NFL Draft. But as it is with any new Patriots receiver, the main question is whether Harry can pick up the Patriots playbook and click with Tom Brady - and quickly.
One of his former college coaches believes he will. Arizona State wide receivers coach Charlie Fisher knows Harry as well as any coach in the game. He's supremely confident in the first-round rookie's ability to learn quickly and become a factor in the Patriots offense sooner rather than later.
Rookies will always need time to develop, if not learn the finer points of the NFL game - even if they produce early. Fisher, who coached the quarterbacks at Penn State under Bill O'Brien and his Patriots-like offense, considers Harry capable of assimilating into the New England system in year one.
"From an intelligence standpoint that’s not going to be [an issue], he’s a very bright kid," Fisher told CLNS Media's Evan Lazar of Harry. "Having been in the Patriots’ system, it’s very complex. It will be a really good challenge for N’Keal as it would be for any young rookie and just like it was for our guys at Penn State when O.B. [Bill O’Brien] came in there. But he has all the learning ability and all the skills to get all that. I think it’s more a matter of getting in the building, getting with their coaches and the day-by-day install; he has all the ability to learn. He can talk football with you, he understands football, but with any young player there’s a learning curve."
Harry made headlines and highlight reels with his one-handed catches as a member of the Sun Devils. But with the Patriots, it will be important to see what Brady sees on the field when they finally take snaps together. Ask Fisher, and he'll tell you Harry has the football intelligence to match his talent.
Head to CLNS Media for the full interview.
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