ASU Football: N’Keal Harry is the ingredient for success

After combining for 318 receiving yards and two touchdown the last two weeks, wide receiver N’Keal Harry has been an integral part of ASU football‘s success.

ASU football (2-2, 1-0 Pac-12) has had its fair share of struggles and problems in the early part of the 2017 season. True sophomore wide receiver N’Keal Harry is not one of them.

At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, Harry needs to be the centerpiece of the Sun Devil offense. He is a top-notch playmaker who is extremely athletic and coordinated for his size.

The Sun Devil offense finally realized in last weekend’s 37-35 upset against the previously 24th-ranked Oregon Ducks that N’Keal Harry is going to be the catalyst player in big games, especially against tough Pac-12 teams.

Harry had seven receptions for 170 yards and a touchdown in the win. He displayed his athleticism on one of his receptions when he caught a quick slant at mid-field, breaking through two tacklers and sprinting down the field for another 30 yards.

However, what is most impressive about Harry is his body control and using his big frame to make even bigger plays. Harry boxed out an Oregon defensive back like he was playing basketball for a 52-yard catch on third-and-27 to end the third quarter.

Its plays like these that makes Harry so special. If the Sun Devils have a wide receiver they can downfield to, when many yards are needed, the complexion of games can be changed entirely.

There is no question Harry should be touching the ball on most ASU’s offensive snaps. Harry should be averaging at least 10 receptions a game, and in the early stages of Pac-12 play, offensive coordinator Billy Napier and ASU must keep trying to make that happen.

Harry has 31 receptions for 436 yards and three scores through four games in 2017. He currently is 11th in the nation in receptions per game (7.8) and 12th in receiving yards, putting him the national spotlight.

N’Keal Harry was named to the watch list for the 2017 Biletnikoff Award, according to an announcement by The Tallahassee Quarterback Club on Tuesday. The award is given annually to the best receiver in college football.

Quarterback Manny Wilkins has confidence throwing the ball downfield when he has a wide receiver he can trust to make plays like Harry as we saw against Oregon. With Harry continuing to get a lot of touches, the ASU offense is starting to roll.

Next: ASU Football: Late defensive stops key upset over Oregon

The Sun Devils go on the road to take on the Stanford Cardinal (2-2, 1-1) Saturday at 1 p.m. PST and the game can be seen on Pac-12 Network.