Possible McKenzie Replacement Bills sign Deonte Harty (formally Deonte Harris)

[RocCityRoller]

5'6" 170

 

I've yelled at teenagers larger than this to get off of my lawn....

 

boooo

[jlgarsh]

2 hours ago, Beck Water said:

 

Exactly.  If he had larger offers than we gave him, he wasn't that much "under the radar" 'cuz we paid him pretty well IMHO

Yup. Excited to see him this season!!!

[Beck Water]

2 hours ago, RocCityRoller said:

5'6" 170

 

I've yelled at teenagers larger than this to get off of my lawn....

 

boooo

 

My biggest concern.  There's a reason that athletes this size don't normally make it to the pros

[DJB]

 

 

 

This is Deonte Harty

[BillsFanForever19]

5 hours ago, DJB said:

 

 

 

This is Deonte Harty

 

Oh man - you've gone and done it now.

 

You've given sound reasoning as to why Beane targeted him in Wave 1 of Free Agency, outbid others to get him, and why he more than likely feels comfortable with what he's done with the Pass Catching core this offseason already. 

 

The "he's an unknown" and "he's never done anything in his career" crowd around here that want to dismiss him and bury him on the depth chart at every chance they get aren't going to like that.

[Buffalo716]

On 3/17/2023 at 9:15 PM, Beck Water said:

 

My biggest concern.  There's a reason that athletes this size don't normally make it to the pros

I think that’s doesn’t even matter at this point in his career 

 

sure there aren’t a lot of 5’8 170 pounders in the NFL but that’s also because there aren’t a lot of world class football athletes that size 

 

If you can play D1 or get to the league at that size , you’re 100% pound for pound a machine 

[Beck Water]

2 minutes ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

Oh man - you've gone and done it now.

 

You've given sound reasoning as to why Beane targeted him in Wave 1 of Free Agency, outbid others to get him, and why he more than likely feels comfortable with what he's done with the Pass Catching core this offseason already. 

 

The "he's an unknown" and "he's never done anything in his career" crowd around here that want to dismiss him and bury him on the depth chart at every chance they get aren't going to like that.

 

I know there were reasons that Beane targeted him. 

The problem Harty has had is staying healthy.  He's never had a full season.  He spent most of last season on IR with turf toe.  He's had repeated problems with tweaked hamstrings.  His ceiling is high, but he's by no means a sure contributor.

 

 

1 minute ago, Buffalo716 said:

I think that’s doesn’t even matter at this point in his career 

 

sure there aren’t a lot of 5’8 170 pounders in the NFL but that’s also because there aren’t a lot of world class football athletes that size 

 

If you can play D1 or get to the league at that size , you’re 100% pound for pound a machine 

 

So Harty didn't play D1.  Assumption College, that's DII, correct?

 

He did get to the league, and make it onto the field as an offensive player for 13 games in 2021.  Also led the league in returns his rook year.

 

He can ball, no doubt.

[Royale with Cheese]

1 minute ago, Buffalo716 said:

I think that’s doesn’t even matter at this point in his career 

 

sure there aren’t a lot of 5’8 170 pounders in the NFL but that’s also because there aren’t a lot of world class football athletes that size 

 

If you can play D1 or get to the league at that size , you’re 100% pound for pound a machine 

 

Jeremy White brought up a good point when we signed him.  He said for him to be that small and for an NFL team to hold a roster spot for him, you have to do something special.  He has that.  He just can't stay healthy.  If he does, I predict he will become the greatest receiver of all time and be on the cover of Madden 2 years in a row.  

[Limeaid]

1 minute ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

Jeremy White brought up a good point when we signed him.  He said for him to be that small and for an NFL team to hold a roster spot for him, you have to do something special.  He has that.  He just can't stay healthy.  If he does, I predict he will become the greatest receiver of all time and be on the cover of Madden 2 years in a row.  

 

It will depend on how he is targeted.  If he is like Beasley who was constantly catching balls in traffic he will be a very expensive $5M toy.

[Buffalo716]

6 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

I know there were reasons that Beane targeted him. 

The problem Harty has had is staying healthy.  He's never had a full season.  He spent most of last season on IR with turf toe.  He's had repeated problems with tweaked hamstrings.  His ceiling is high, but he's by no means a sure contributor.

 

 

 

So Harty didn't play D1.  Assumption College, that's DII, correct?

 

He did get to the league, and make it onto the field as an offensive player for 13 games in 2021.  Also led the league in returns his rook year.

 

He can ball, no doubt.

Assumption would be DII and that’s why I also added or NFL caveat 

 

95% of DI schools will not offer a kid that size unless he is destroying kids in 5AAAAA Florida or Texas

 

even MAC schools are weary of that size with a scholarship out of HS… Jarrett Patterson at UB was 5’7 165 lb and they only offered him because they wanted his brother ( now a bill) and they were a tandem deal

 

good decision 

 

usually at that size you can get a preferred walk on if your a beast with the chance for a scholarship 

[ngbills]

10 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

Jeremy White brought up a good point when we signed him.  He said for him to be that small and for an NFL team to hold a roster spot for him, you have to do something special.  He has that.  He just can't stay healthy.  If he does, I predict he will become the greatest receiver of all time and be on the cover of Madden 2 years in a row.  

 

6 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said:

Assumption would be DII and that’s why I also added or NFL caveat 

 

95% of DI schools will not offer a kid that size unless he is destroying kids in 5AAAAA Florida or Texas

 

even MAC schools are weary of that size with a scholarship out of HS… Jarrett Patterson at UB was 5’7 165 lb and they only offered him because they wanted his brother ( now a bill) and they were a tandem deal

 

good decision 

 

usually at that size you can get a preferred walk on if your a beast with the chance for a scholarship 

Isn't Isaiah McK 5'8" / 170lb? And Cole Beasley? And Jamison Crowder? 

[Beck Water]

14 minutes ago, ngbills said:

 

Isn't Isaiah McK 5'8" / 170lb? And Cole Beasley? And Jamison Crowder? 

 

They're none of them big, but Harty is the smallest at 5'6" 170.

Crowder 5'8 185

McKenzie 5'8 173

Beasley 5'8 174

 

Crowder struggled with injuries.  Hasn't played a full season since 2019 and as we know, went out after a broken leg last season.

McKenzie has struggled with hammies but aside from that concussion last season he's been durable

Beasley was a warrior who played through everything but maybe shouldn't have

 

The point is for McKenzie and Beasley, they contributed massively in the regular season but when it was all on the line and the refs were allowing more physical play, they could be taken out (and were)

 

Physics has a tendency to win out, in the end.

Edited June 15 by Beck Water

[Buffalo716]

3 hours ago, ngbills said:

 

Isn't Isaiah McK 5'8" / 170lb? And Cole Beasley? And Jamison Crowder? 

Again there are a lot of 5’8-5’9 football players … I just said most D1 schools won’t offer a guy that size unless he is special… If 100 5’8 players go to UBs elite camp … maybe 2 would leave with an offer 

 

its just a lot tougher to make it to DI or the league … You can be at a camp in Texas… and I’ve seen This… Where you can just be walking around in shorts and be a 6’4 225 pound JR edge rusher And coaches will just walk up to you and give you a scholarship… on the spot … because of your look … They don’t even need to see you in a drill… you got an invite to the elite camp and have the look they crave 

 

while the 5’9 guy is going to have to bust his ass and kill all the drills… and beat the competition sideways to get that look…

 

mckenzie did star at a 5AAAAA Florida school which is why he’s one of the rarer little guys to go to a big school and play 

 

Most are like Beasley or crowder and have offers to SMU or Duke or wake forest or Kansas or service academies…2* recruits… which is still amazing 

 

but most big time schools would rather have and develop a 6’0 200 lb kid who can run … instead of a 5’7 kid who’s 160

 

and there’s a lot of HS kids to chose from , so even the Small kids who are phenoms , have up hill battles 

Edited June 15 by Buffalo716

[Beck Water]

6 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said:

Again there are a lot of 5’8-5’9 football players … I just said most D1 schools won’t offer a guy that size unless he is special

 

its just a lot tougher to make it to DI or the league … You can be at a camp in Texas… and I’ve seen This… Where you can just be walking around in shorts and be a 6’4 225 pound JR edge rusher And coaches will just walk up to you and give you a scholarship… on the spot … because of your look … They don’t even need to see you in a drill… you got an invite to the elite camp and have the look they crave 

 

while the 5’9 guy is going to have to bust his ass and kill all the drills… and beat the competition sideways to get that look…

 

mckenzie did star at a 5AAAAA Florida school which is why he’s one of the rarer little guys to go to a big school and play 

 

Most are like Beasley or crowder and have offers to SMU or Duke or wake forest or service academies…2* recruits… which is still amazing 

 

but most big time schools would rather have and develop a 6’0 200 lb kid who can run … instead of a 5’7 kid who’s 160

 

and there’s a lot of HS kids to chose from , so even the Small kids who are phenoms , have up hill battles 

 

McKenzie not only starred at a top Florida HS, he played on the same team as Sony Michel.  So when colleges came to scout Michel, they saw Isaiah.

[Buffalo716]

1 minute ago, Beck Water said:

 

McKenzie not only starred at a top Florida HS, he played on the same team as Sony Michel.  So when colleges came to scout Michel, they saw Isaiah.

That’s also a kicker 

 

Having another big time recruit so scouts can see you when they come to see him

[Beck Water]

11 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said:

That’s also a kicker 

 

Having another big time recruit so scouts can see you when they come to see him

 

In fact, wasn't that how Josh got his shot at Wyoming?  Buhl sent someone to scout another player on his JuCo team, and while they were there, the QB "popped" at them?

 

Anyway, looping back to Harty - he clearly has the potential to be a dynamic player, both as a returner and as a receiver.  According to what Beane commented when he was signed, he may have some skills they hoped McKenzie would develop but he never did - the ability to track the ball and catch the deep throws, the demonstrated ability for YAC (though I still think YAC have a lot to do with Allen and/or play design not making decisive short throws while the YAC gettin' is good)

 

But I def. see him as a high ceiling/risk of low floor kind of guy due to injury potential (not because he's small, because he's had them)

Edited June 15 by Beck Water

[Buffalo716]

3 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

In fact, wasn't that how Josh got his shot at Wyoming?  Buhl sent someone to scout another player on his JuCo team, and while they were there, the QB "popped" at them?

I know that Allen sent out like 500 emails to all D1 coaches and only Wyoming and eastern Michigan hit him back 

 

Brent Vigan (OC) then went down to reedley and watched highlights of josh 

 

then bohl made a trip up to the farm and offered Allen a scholarship… eastern Michigan pulled out as soon as Josh took a trip to Wyoming 

[Dillenger4]

Harty is a stud. Fact. He is a burner. Who cares if he went to D1 or D2 school. The dude can all out burn ANY defense with his speed and route running capabilities. Now that he is on a good team he will shine! he can easily become our WR2. Just wait n see.

Also - we can't compare him to McKenzie or Beasly or Brown. Harty is on a different level than those guys.

If Harty was on the Niners or Cowboys he would have already been a household name. Now we have him and we reap the rewards.

 

[3rdand12]

Hoping . expecting that Dorsey will make good use of him and others. Having Josh throw to him is already a bonus above and beyond any statistics he had.

If they play him smartly this kid could really help the Bills offense.

BTW i dont want him running crossing routes under/into LBs for short yards.

 

Hope Bills staff can teach him to take care of his body , on and off the field !

[Mr. WEO]

40 minutes ago, Dillenger4 said:

Harty is a stud. Fact. He is a burner. Who cares if he went to D1 or D2 school. The dude can all out burn ANY defense with his speed and route running capabilities. Now that he is on a good team he will shine! he can easily become our WR2. Just wait n see.

Also - we can't compare him to McKenzie or Beasly or Brown. Harty is on a different level than those guys.

If Harty was on the Niners or Cowboys he would have already been a household name. Now we have him and we reap the rewards.

 

 

He would have been on their IR lists.

 

Who are the WRs (not ones who are also RBs) on the 49ers that are "household names"?