Harry won’t play in ASU’s bowl game
Sun Devils wide receiver already announced he would enter draft
ASU wide receiver N’Keal Harry has already announced his decision to forgo his senior season and enter the 2019 NFL draft. So his decision not to play in the Sun Devils’ upcoming Las Vegas Bowl game on Dec. 15 against Fresno State (11-2) is not a surprise.
When Harry announced his decision to enter the draft last week he said he would keep practicing with the team and make that decision at a later date. Well, that time has come.
“After thorough consideration and consultation regarding N’Keal Harry’s future prospects with our coaching staff, administrative staff and N’Keal himself, we have collectively determined it is in his best interest to forego (sic) the Mitsubishi Motors Las Ve-
gas Bowl game and focus on his transition,” coach Herm Edwards said in a prepared statement issued by the school. “We wish him the best and know that he is a Sun Devil for Life.”
Harry, a 6-foot-4, 213-pounder out of Chandler High School, caught 73 passes for 1,088 yards and nine touchdowns with a season-best game coming against Utah when he had nine catches for 161 yards and three touchdowns.
He ranks 15th among all FBS players in receiving yards and was also a bigplay threat on special teams.
He has hired an agent.
He finishes third on the school’s alltime receiving yards list with 2,889 yards behind only Derek Hagan (3,939 in 2002-2005) and John Jefferson (2,993 in 1974-1977), both of whom played four years.
With Harry opting to miss the game, the Sun Devils will count on others. After Harry, the receiver numbers are closely bunched. Junior Kyle Williams has 40 catches for 432 yards while sophomore Frank Darby has 21 for 211 and junior Brandon Aiyuk 24 for 413 yards.
Most NFL mock drafts have Harry being selected in the first round.
Harry is ranked as the second-best wide receiver in this year’s class, behind another junior, Marquise Brown of Oklahoma, according to ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. ESPN’s Todd McShay has him 31st on his list of the top 32 NFL draft prospects for next spring.
ASU players earn academic recognition
The Pac-12 announced its All-Academic team for football, and ASU had several players recognized.
Leading the group is redshirt junior fullback Nick Ralston, the Sun Devils’ lone first-team selection. The Texas native carries a 4.0 grade-point average and is majoring in finance.
Junior wide receiver Kyle Williams was named to the second team.
Honorable-mention selections included sophomore running back Eno Benjamin, junior defensive back Cody French, senior defensive lineman Jordan Hoyt, junior linebacker Malik Lawal, senior long snapper Josh Pokraka, John Riley, sophomore kicker Brandon Ruiz and junior punter Michael SleepDalton.