Kelvin Harmon, North Carolina State
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 221 pounds
40-yard dash: 4.60 seconds
Vertical Jump: 32.5 inches
Broad Jump: 117 inches
3-Cone Drill: 7.15 seconds
There were a lot of wide receivers who popped off the page athletically at the Combine, but Harmon wasn’t one of them. In fact, his measurables there were among the worst in several categories, lowering him down draft boards significantly. It’s not too surprising to those who studied his film, as he wasn’t much of a separator, but more of a contested catch player who was trusted in a lot of one-on-one situations.
Complete a mock draft in minutes with our free Draft Simulator 
He did get better by the year when it came to overall performance, as he set career-highs in receptions (81), yards (1,186), and touchdowns (7). One big negative to his game logs during his 2018 season were that he disappeared at times, including posting just two catches for 13 yards against Clemson, clearly his toughest opponent of the year. There were 3-of-12 games that netted 37 or less yards, which isn’t great when you consider his level of competition wasn’t top-notch.
Size/Versatility: 2.5 out of 5 stars
He’s built very well and can likely absorb some big hits over the middle of the field. He played on the perimeter most of the time but did move into the slot at times. Part of me wonders if he’d operate better as a big slot receiver, but one who you move out to the perimeter when you get into the red zone. He will not change the way a team defends against your offense, which is somewhat limiting to his potential. He’s going to play one of a few roles – an underneath possession receiver (don’t think he separates well enough to do this), a big slot receiver, or a red zone package receiver. That’s not a whole lot of versatility despite his rock-solid size.
Route Running/Ability to Separate: 2.0 out of 5 stars
He uses his hands well to get off press coverage, though his speed doesn’t take advantage of that. He’s not a long strider, so he should be able to cut faster than a lot of 6-foot-2 wide receivers, though again, defenders don’t have to respect his speed, which hurts his overall separation. He doesn’t have sharp cuts to his routes and they aren’t violent. He’s almost someone who goes through the motions until the ball comes in, which is where he shines. He’s more of a smart player than one who exudes phenomenal route-running ability. There will be some who talk about his ability to do the technical things correctly – like sink his hips in the route – but if he doesn’t gain separation, it doesn’t matter. He’s a below average separator.
Speed: 1.5 out of 5 stars
This is a very big limiter to his game, as he doesn’t have initial burst and doesn’t have top-end speed, as evidenced by his 4.60-second 40-time. His stop-and-go speed isn’t good, either, and it’s why you almost never see him more than a yard or two from a defender. I don’t often see multiple gears to his routes, either. He’s a one-speed player whose one speed isn’t very good.
Hands: 4.0 out of 5 stars
He has very strong hands, continually snags passes that are off target, immediately puts the ball into his body. He’s also very strong when it comes to contested catches, which is important considering his lack of speed and separation. There are times where he’ll let the ball come into his body a bit too much, but for the most part he’s pretty surehanded.
Awareness: 4.0 out of 5 stars
He adjusts to the ball in the air and uses his body to shield defenders extremely well. He’s also very aware of where he is on the field, using the sideline to his advantage and does a great job with his body control to stay in bounds. He also doesn’t make the defender aware that the ball is coming their way, holding off on making adjustments until the last moment. He could come back to the ball to help out his quarterback a bit more, especially someone like Ryan Finley (his quarterback) who didn’t have the most arm strength. He’s phenomenal on the back-shoulder throws in the end zone.
After the Catch: 2.0 out of 5 stars
He’s built well but he’s not someone who’s a nightmare to bring down after the catch. He’s more of a player who’ll make a tough catch in traffic and just ensure the ball is hauled in rather than one who tries to take off before securing the ball. He braces for contact, which is good for his hands score, but he’s not someone who’ll be noticed for his work after the catch. It should be noted that he won’t just fall to the ground like some receivers heading into contact, but he’s slightly below average for someone his size.
Potential Landing Spot
He’s one of a few receivers who fit the contested catch mold in this draft class and will be drafted outside the top few rounds, so potential landing spots are endless. If the Packers decide to pass on receivers early in the draft, Harmon would be phenomenal in the red zone on back-shoulder throws with Aaron Rodgers, though I don’t think he compliments Davante Adams very well. The 49ers are a team who’d make sense, as they have Marquise Goodwin to burn down the field and could then mix-and-match Dante Pettis with Harmon on the perimeter and slot. Lastly, the Jaguars and Nick Foles need that big-bodied contested catch receiver to pair with D.J. Chark and Dede Westbrook.
NFL Comparison
When trying to find a comparison for Harmon, you want to find someone who offers a great red zone presence, even if his performance in-between the 20’s isn’t anything special. Donte Moncrief is someone who comes to mind as a player who’s been sure-handed in the red zone but never lived up to some of the expectations that many set for him. Harmon isn’t the athlete Moncrief is and is a lesser route-runner, but he’s close. That’s the type of career Harmon could have, though he could develop into something more. If he was moved into the big slot role, you could see him emerge as a Mohamed Sanu-type player.
Check out all of our other NFL Draft Scouting Reports
Subscribe: iTunes | Google Play | Spotify | Stitcher | SoundCloud | TuneIn | RSS
Mike Tagliere is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @MikeTagliereNFL.
