Fitzgerald: Cardinals say ASU’s Harry reminded them of Anquan Boldin

When Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald was asked by 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s Burns & Gambo about Arizona State wide receiver and 2019 NFL Draft hopeful N’Keal Harry, another local tie-in was made.

“I love the young man,” Fitzgerald said. “I heard he had a fantastic workout on Saturday. He looked explosive, I heard somebody in the building say they reminded him a lot of Anquan Boldin with how strong he is to the catch and the way he is able to run routes and his physical presence he brings.”

That’s quite the company to join in a comparison. In his first seven years for the Cardinals, Boldin caught 586 passes for 7,520 yards and 44 touchdowns. Boldin caught at least 80 balls in five of those seven seasons, four of which came playing alongside Fitzgerald.

As Fitzgerald notes, the physical match is there. Boldin at 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds is similar to Harry’s 228-pound, 6-foot-2 frame. To back up the strength comparison, Harry had a position-best 28 bench press reps at the NFL Combine.

Boldin was picked by the Cardinals in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft, and as it turns out, that’s where Harry could be selected if he were to become an Arizona Cardinal. Harry is currently projected from anywhere in the late first round to the mid-second round. The Cardinals own the first pick of the second round at No. 33.

At wide receiver, the Cardinals have been in desperate need of an option on the opposite side of Fitzgerald. Last year’s second-round pick Christian Kirk was terrific in his slot role as a rookie but Chad Williams and others went on to disappoint where Harry could theoretically slide in.

Harry reportedly met with the Cardinals in late March after his pro day and had a private workout with the Cardinals that Fitzgerald mentioned on Saturday.

With Harry being a local product out of Chandler High School, Fitzgerald is familiar with the young man.

“I followed him since he was in high school, I followed him obviously in college and have admired him from a distance,” he said. “Wherever he lands he’s going to be a great attribute to whatever organization he ends up falling in the hands of.”

A two-time First-team All-Pac-12 performer, Harry had 213 catches for 2,889 yards and 22 touchdowns over his three years as a Sun Devil. He reached over 1,000 yards receiving in each of his last two seasons.

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