WASHINGTON — One of the most dynamic two-sport stars in the country is heading to South Carolina.
Nyckoles Harbor, a 6-foot-6 defensive lineman and wide receiver who also has the speed of a potential Olympic sprinter on the track, announced his decision during a ceremony at his high school Wednesday that was also televised live on ESPN.
Pegged as a five-star recruit by 247 Sports and Rivals, among other recruiting services, Harbor had entered National Signing Day as one of the highest-rated football prospects still available. The majority of top recruits signed with schools during the early signing period in December.
Harbor, 17, has been a two-sport star at Archbishop Carroll and previously indicated that he plans to play football and run track in college.
Who were Harbor’s other finalists?
According to Rivals, Harbor had at least 41 Power Five scholarship offers. He told recruiting website On3.com last month that “I don’t really have a finalist, but I guess you can put Maryland, South Carolina, USC, Oregon and Michigan.”
Why South Carolina?
Harbor has spoken highly of third-year football coach Shane Beamer throughout his recruiting process and drawn comparisons to Jadeveon Clowney, the former No. 1 overall pick who starred for the Gamecocks. The chance to compete in the Southeastern Conference likely was also a draw, as was the distance from home; among SEC schools, South Carolina is among the closest to the Washington area where Harbor grew up.
What makes Harbor unique?
It’s not his size or speed, but the combination of them.
At 6-6 and 225 pounds, Harbor has the frame to be a standout edge rusher or tight end at the next level, especially as he puts on weight with the help of a college strength coach. But his times on the track so far in high school put him in the same neighborhood as Olympic sprinters like Erriyon Knighton, or NFL speedster Tyreek Hill.
“This is someone who, if he goes to the combine, is just going to set records,” Adam Gorney, the national recruiting director for Rivals and Yahoo! Sports, said this fall. “There’s just nothing to think that he wouldn’t. He’s going to blow people away.”
What position will Harbor play?
In high school, Harbor has been a two-way playmaker. Over his final two seasons, he racked up 47 tackles for a loss on defense, as an edge rusher, and 10 touchdown catches on offense, as a tight end and wide receiver.
“Some schools love him as a tight end. They said, ‘we’re going to put you on offense and let you run down the field and make plays and be faster than everybody,’ ” Gorney said. “And some schools said sort of the traditional idea of we’re going to put our best athletes on defense, and you’re going to come off the edge.”
When asked which role he prefers, Harbor said in November that he would lean toward defense, where his job is a bit more straightforward and he can play faster. But playing on the offensive side of the ball would likely allow him to stay leaner, which could help as he tries to work his way into the Olympic qualification picture on the track.
Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on Twitter @Tom_Schad.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nyckoles Harbor signs with South Carolina on Signing Day 2023