WR Harwell to play in NFLPA Collegiate Bowl

By Matt Tait Jan 12, 2015

Ryan Waggoner

Kansas senior wide receiver Nick Harwell hauls in a catch in front of an Oklahoma State defender during the 1st quarter of the Jayhawks game against the Cowboys Saturday afternoon. At half, Kansas trails 20-7.

Add Nick Harwell’s name to the list of seniors from the 2014 Kansas University football team competing in postseason all star games this winter.

Harwell has been selected to play in Saturday’s NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, which will kick off at 3 p.m. at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.

The Missouri City, Texas, wide receiver came to Kansas after a solid three-year career at Miami (Ohio) University, sat out in 2013 and wrapped up his lone season at Kansas last November. Dubbed a potential difference-maker for the struggling KU passing game, the 6-foot-1, 193-pound receiver who finished 2014 with 470 yards and five touchdowns on 44 receptions, has been on the NFL radar since 2012, when one NFL draft site ranked him as the 14th-best receiving prospect in his draft class. His standing dipped a bit during his time at Kansas and Harwell admitted late in the 2014 season that he occasionally thought about the road ahead.

“I do think about it,” he said prior to KU’s victory over Iowa State on Nov. 8. “Not as much as I think about the next game or who we’re playing, but I do think about it and it just keeps replaying in my head when agents call or hit me up through email. It’s always in the back of my head, but I don’t worry too much about it because whatever happens happens.”

A good showing Saturday could help Harwell work his way back up the ladder. According to nfldraftscout.com, Harwell currently ranks as the 36th best receiver in the 2015 draft class.

Former KU running back James Sims played in the 2014 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl and five other former Jayhawks made the roster in 2013, with quarterback Dayne Crist’s MVP performance highlighting their efforts. Offensive linemen Trevor Marrongelli and Duane Zlatnik, fullback/defensive lineman Toben Opurum and defensive lineman Josh Williams joined Crist at that game.

Harwell is one of four former Jayhawks playing in postseason all-star games. Linebacker Ben Heeney will suit up for the West squad in Saturday’s East-West Shrine Game in St. Petersburg, Florida, while cornerback JaCorey Shepherd will participate in the Senior Bowl on Jan. 24 in Mobile, Alabama. Last weekend, safety Cassius Sendish recorded three solo tackles for the American team in the Medal of Honor Bowl.

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45868WR Harwell to play in NFLPA Collegiate Bowl

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Written By Matt Tait

A native of Colorado, Matt moved to Lawrence in 1988 and has been in town ever since. He graduated from Lawrence High in 1996 and the University of Kansas in 2000 with a degree in Journalism. After covering KU sports for the University Daily Kansan and Rivals.com, Matt joined the World Company (and later Ogden Publications) in 2001 and has held several positions with the paper and KUsports.com in the past 20+ years. He became the Journal-World Sports Editor in 2018. Throughout his career, Matt has won several local and national awards from both the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Kansas Press Association. In 2021, he was named the Kansas Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. Matt lives in Lawrence with his wife, Allison, and two daughters, Kate and Molly. When he's not covering KU sports, he likes to spend his time playing basketball and golf, listening to and writing music and traveling the world with friends and family.