LOUISVILLE, K.Y - Arizona State junior wide receiver N'Keal Harry, has earned yet another prestigious preseason honor, this time being named to the 2018 Paul Hornung Award Preseason Watch List, announced by the Louisville Sports Commission on Thursday morning.
The Paul Hornung Award 2018 Paul Hornung Award, presented by Texas Roadhouse, is given annually by the Louisville Sports Commission (LSC) to the most versatile player in major college football. The Award was created by the LSC in January 2010 with the support of the Golden Boy himself, Paul Hornung, a native and lifelong resident of Louisville and member of the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame.
A first-team all-Pac-12 selection in 2017, Harry returns for his junior season looking to build on a stellar sophomore campaign in which he racked up 82 catches for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns. The 82 catches were good for a tie for third in ASU single-season history with Jaelen Strong (2014). Only Shaun McDonald (87, 2002) and Derek Hagan (83, 2004) rank ahead of him. The 1,142 yards receiving were seventh in ASU single season history.
Harry averaged over 87 yards receiving per game and nearly 14 yards per catch in 2017. His 87 yards per game were the best in the Pac-12, and he finished second in the conference in receptions and yards. According to PFF, Harry averaged a 107.0 QB rating when he was targeted, over 16 points higher than the NCAA average. He is the third-highest graded returning Division I receiver in the country by PFF, but first among Power Five programs and first among all juniors (or younger).
The Chandler, Ariz., native led ASU in receiving in eight of the 13 games last season, including three games of 140+ yards. He also showed his versatility and play-making ability throughout the season, rushing 13 times for 65 yards and also throwing one pass for 14 yards and a touchdown on the season. He was targeted 120 times last season, second among all Pac-12 receivers, but had just four drops on the year - the lowest drop rate of top returning receivers in the nation.
Harry has a reception in all 25 games of his career at Arizona State, the eighth-longest active streak of games for any returning player in the NCAA. His 140 career receptions are already tied for 10th in Sun Devil school history and he is already within 300 yards of cracking ASU's all-time Top-10 in career receiving yards.
Hornung, the award's namesake, is considered by many the most versatile player in the history of college and pro football. He won the 1956 Heisman Trophy at quarterback for Notre Dame and was the number one pick in the 1957 NFL draft. He played every position in the backfield during his career with the Irish, where he also punted, kicked, returned kicks, and played defensive back. While in the NFL, Hornung was a multi-threat offensive back and prolific kicker. He was a member of four NFL championship teams as an all-pro halfback for the Green Bay Packers and led the NFL in scoring 1959-60-61, set the single season scoring record in 1960 with 176 points, and was named League MVP following the 1961 season.
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