The Giants now have a need for a play-making wide receiver
The New York Giants need to address their wide receiving corps.
What was a low-key need early in the draft process suddenly turned into a gaping hole on their roster with the move to trade Odell Beckham Jr.
The Giants might not prioritize the position highly, but their receiving cupboard is bare outside of Sterling Shepard -- who is in the last year of his free agency deal. Whether or not they will select a wide receiver highly in the 2019 NFL Draft, they should at least take a close look at the top of the depth chart.
And while there are bigger and more athletic prospects, NC State wide receiver Kelvin Harmon could make a lot of sense for the Giants.
Measurables
Pros
- Prototypical size and frame for an NFL receiver.
- Great hands. Frames and plucks the ball out of the air.
- Good, nuanced route runner. Runs a variety of routes from both sides of the field and features a variety of releases.
- Uses his routes as well as physicality to create separation.
- Skilled at finding.
- Willing blocker and a good one at that.
- Able to win the catch point in contested catch situations.
- Consistently productive.
Cons
- Below-average athlete.
- Limited ability to create after the catch.
- Could have issues separating against bigger, more athletic cornerbacks
Numbers Of Note
statistics from Dan Pizzuta
- Harmon finished 16th in Target Yards Added in this class, at 2.02, about average of those wide receivers sampled.
- Per the Sports Info Solutions Rookie Handbook, Harmon led this class of receivers in Receiving Expected Points Added at 61.8.
- Harmon lined up in the slot on 13.3 percent of NC State pass plays
Prospect Video
What They’re Saying
“Logging back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons, Harmon has been one of the ACC’s most productive receivers over the last two seasons. He is a true alpha with dominant play strength. His burst and play speed for his size is underrated. His blend of size, physicality, ball skills and fluidity make him and ideal fit as an x-receiver in any scheme. By year three, Harmon has the upside to be relied upon as a true No. 1 receiver that keeps the chains moving, hits big plays and thrives in the redzone.”
- Joe Marino (The Draft Network - Scouting Report)
Does He Fit The Giants?
Much of the Giants’ passing offense is predicated on getting the ball into playmakers’ hands and letting them do their thing in space. Harmon is a different kind of receiver than Odell Beckham Jr. or Sterling Shepard, however. He isn’t the kind of receiver who can take a slant and turn it into a highlight reel play. His game is more like JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeAndre Hopkins, or Hakeem Nicks: While he can make big plays, he isn’t the kind of player who can out-athlete defenses.
But that doesn’t mean that he isn’t a viable receiver or a potential fit in the Giants’ scheme. He is a savvy, nuanced route runner who should be able to pick up the Giants’ concept-based passing game quickly and use his physicality and hands to maximize passing windows. He is also a willing and capable blocker who shows flashes of dominance, which will help when other players have the ball.
Going by his film, Harmon should be high on teams’ draft boards. However, like Nicks, Hopkins, and Smith-Schuster, Harmon’s pedestrian athleticism could cause a slide in favor of more athletically excellent prospects. If so, he could be a second-round steal for a team looking to add to their receiving corps.
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