N’Keal Harry: ‘There’s no way’ Cardinals let him slide past pick No. 33

Arizona State wide receiver N’Keal Harry is one of the more intriguing pass-catching prospects in this year’s NFL Draft, which gets underway on Thursday.

But fans of the Arizona Cardinals might put extra stock in Harry, whom they watched play three seasons for the Sun Devils as a first-team All-Pac-12 selection and record almost 3,000 receiving yards in three seasons.

If Harry is there when the Cardinals pick at No. 33, they may get to keep watching the Chandler High School product make big plays in the Valley. At least that’s what the man himself told Burns & Gambo on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station.

“I’ve met with them twice,” Harry said on Wednesday. “I actually had, I went into the facility on the local day and I had a private workout. The workout went extremely well. I think I surprised a lot of the higher-ups in the organization. So I’m pretty confident going into draft day.

“Obviously my main goal is to be a first-round pick, to be a first-day pick. But if, for whatever reason, I do end up slipping to the second round, I don’t see myself slipping past 33. So if I do slip out the first round, I would be excited to be an Arizona Cardinal, and that’s where I would see myself going if I didn’t get picked on day one.”

When asked if he was guaranteed he’d be selected at 33, Harry declined to go that far.

“I can’t really say too much, but you know, just from the workout I had … I feel like I really turned some heads in the organization,” he said. “In my opinion, I think there’s no way I fall past 33.”

When asked to clarify if his comments were based on conversation he had with the team, Harry answered in the affirmative.

“Correct, “he said. “And just because I know what I did during the private workout. I know the kind of performance I put on. And I’m from Arizona. Honestly, I’m about 95% sure if I’m there at 33 and they’re still at that pick, they’re going to pick me up.”

On Monday, current Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald said he also heard that Harry’s workout with the Cardinals went well.

“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.

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

Based on what some draft pundits have offered, Harry could be selected right around where the Cardinals happen to possess their second-round pick. General manager Steve Keim, if he were to take Harry at No. 33, would be picking an Arizona-grown wide receiver in the second round for the second year in a row. Last year, he took Saguaro High School product Christian Kirk.

“N’Keal is a big man who can do a lot of different things for you,” Keim said last week. “One thing that excites me about him is his ability to run after the catch. For a big, long athlete, he’s got unique skills after the catch, as well as tracking and adjusting to the football down the field.”

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