At 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, New England rookie wide receiver N’Keal Harry, No. 50, is about the same size as most of the Patriots linebackers. AP Photo/Charles Krupa

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Just like the rest of his fellow rookies, N’Keal Harry has been assigned a bizarre number in training camp.

It’s all part of Bill Belichick’s process. Rookies earn their jerseys.

For the past two summers we’ve watched players in the No. 58 jersey lead the huddle and take snaps in the shotgun. We’ve seen some tremendous pass-breakups from defensive backs sporting numbers in the 60s. And this year the guy in the No. 60 jersey is competing for the punter job.

Then there’s Harry, who looks right at home in the No. 50 uniform. After all, he’s about the same size as most of the Patriots’ linebackers.

Purely from a height-weight view, Harry – the No. 32 pick in this year’s draft – is one of the most imposing receivers in the league. At 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, he’s bigger than Michael Thomas, Alshon Jeffery, Julio Jones, Kenny Golladay and Mike Williams. He’s bigger than any recent Pats wideout.

He uses his frame to box out defenders, as we saw Saturday on a fade route to the left corner of the end zone. Defensive back J.C. Jackson, who generally matches up well with physical receivers, stood little chance against Harry on the play.

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Brian Hoyer lofted the ball high and Harry outmuscled Jackson to grab it.

During Sunday’s practice, Harry got his hands on All-Pro cornerback Stephon Gilmore and drove him backward, helping to clear space for a James White touchdown run.

Harry will be a factor in the red zone for the Pats. That much is clear.

The real question: Can he become a complete receiver – or somewhere close to it – as a rookie?

That’s a much more complicated issue.

Harry indicated he’s working hard behind the scenes so the game eventually slows down.

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“That’s something that I’m trying to get used to every day,” he said. “The more I learn the playbook, the more I get comfortable out there, the less I’ll have to think.”

Some of Harry’s struggles have had nothing to do with a lack of physical ability. In minicamp there were several instances when Tom Brady and Harry couldn’t connect on simple routes, even without a defense on the field. Harry received one-on-one instruction from offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels throughout the three-day session. He also swung by Brady’s house for some informal practice in the back yard in early June. That couldn’t hurt.

“It’s a big help having (Brady) out there, helping me make it through training camp, helping me clean up my details and making sure we’re on the same page,” Harry said.

Still, there’s a learning curve. On Saturday, the entire Patriots offense was forced to run a lap following a series of miscommunications. Harry appeared to line up in the wrong spot on the play. After the Pats completed the lap, Coach Bill Belichick huddled the team.

His message?

“Do your job,” Harry said. “Just execute.”

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For rookies, sometimes that’s easier said than done.

The opening week of training camp has revealed Harry’s upside and his current shortcomings. If he can get up to speed in the next month, there’s every reason to believe Harry will contribute as a rookie. He’s a tough matchup on the perimeter, even for some of the league’s bigger corners.

“It’s a great battle having him,” said Patriots rookie cornerback Joejuan Williams. “Iron sharpens iron. I’m happy to have him here, and I’m happy to compete against him day in and day out. Hopefully I’m making him better, too.”

Added rookie quarterback Jarrett Stidham: “Each guy is different in their own way, but that’s what makes them special. Obviously, N’Keal has unique traits.”

With Harry’s first-round status comes massive expectations, and the Patriots – who rolled out a three-receiver set of Phillip Dorsett, Maurice Harris and Braxton Berrios to start Sunday’s practice – certainly need him to develop quickly.

“I’m going to do whatever it takes to help the team win,” Harry said. “Whatever I did in college doesn’t matter. I’m in the NFL now, so it’s a clean slate.”

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