N’Keal Harry’s Former Teammate Recalls Hilarious Story About Patriots Wideout

New England Patriots wide receiver N’Keal Harry is pretty big for a wide receiver but the team signed him for a reason. One of his former college teammates can’t really accept the fact that the Patriots wideout plays this position in New England.

Wideout Frank Darby was in the same class as Harry. He shared details of his introduction to Harry in a recent interview on NFL Network’s Senior Bowl broadcast.

“I see N’Keal walk out his room and I look at him, and I’m like, ‘Oh, wow,’ ” Darby recalls. “I was like, ‘How you doing? My name’s Frank.’ He’s like, ‘I’m N’Keal.’ I was like, ‘What you play, D-end?’ He was like, ‘No, receiver.’ (Laughs.) I was like, ‘Oh, yeah, I’m going to redshirt this year.’ “

Darby sat out the 2016 season and had his collegiate debut in 2017. He didn’t have the best numbers and Harry did much better. However, Darby was amazing alongside 2020 first-round draft pick Brandon Aiyuk in 2019. He was able to catch 31 passes for 616 yards and eight scores.

“Being a big guy at your school, you think you’re the big dog until you go out somewhere else and you see people that’s bigger than you in the same position,” said Darby. “You’re like, ‘Wow, I’ve got to get better. I’ve got to get stronger.’ “

Darby measured 6 feet, 194 pounds at the Senior Bowl.

The Patriots wideout to provide better performance

Darby leaned on N’Keal for guidance in the pre-draft period. He may not be drafted as highly as Harry or Aiyuk. Harry was selected 32^nd overall and Aiyuk was 25^th. He has just six catches for 46 yards and one touchdown in four games for the Sun Devils in 2020. His Senior Bowl practices were brilliant though.

“I look at (Harry) like a best friend now,” Darby said. “We talk day to day now. I called him, asked him about some tips on the Reese’s (Senior) Bowl, even though he didn’t come here. But he would just tell me, ‘It’s already written. Just stay humble. You’ve been doing it for so long, don’t get yourself caught up into trying to be something you’re not. Just be Frank, and you go out there and do your thing.’ And that’s just how I looked at it.”

.@_SavageSZN8's reaction when he first met WR @NkealHarry15 at @ASUFootball…

"What do you play? D-End?" ?

?: Reese's @seniorbowl | TODAY on NFL Network pic.twitter.com/fHgEZA80WB

— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) January 30, 2021

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick would like to see more from Harry in 2021. The wide receiver didn’t have great success in his first two years with the Patriots. He missed some time and Belichick will give him a chance to play his best football.