The vast majority of Carroll (DC) five-star athlete Nyckoles Harbor’s offseason was spent on track, but it paid off after becoming a viral sensation nearly every meet. Harbor won the 200-meter dash at the AAU Junior Olympics earlier this month with a time of 20.96 while also posting a 10.28 in the 100 meter this offseason. The two-sport athlete always knew he’d have a choice between track and football, but this offseason validated his freakish athleticism at the highest level.
“Showed these people that I’m faster than what they previously thought I was,” Harbor told Inside the Black and Gold. “I continue to get bigger, faster, stronger as I just progress and get older. Just get wiser at what I’m doing and show how much more dangerous on the field.” While listed as an edge rusher across recruiting services, Harbor still has the athleticism to play tight end or wide receiver if he chooses so.
“Even though I’m 6-foot-5, 225-pounds right now, I can still outrun any [defensive back] you put on me. It makes me more versatile for offense, defense, just knowing that no one can match my speed and it makes it harder for coaches to gameplan against me,” he added. “I’ll do both. I’m playing so I won’t get fined,” Harbor joked.
But with track now behind him for now, Harbor is focused on getting back up to speed with Carroll. The five-star prospect wasn’t in action in Saturday morning’s scrimmage against Calvert Hall but will be next weekend as head coach Robert Harris leads Carroll for their final tuneup ahead of the regular season.
In recruiting, Harbor still maintains a top seven of Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, Miami, LSU, South Carolina and USC as schools increase contact heading into official visit season. “I feel like everyone I put in the top seven and not even just them, I’ve got a lot of official offers. I was blessed to get that but now since we’re getting closer to a commitment date, teams are starting to heat up to try and show who should get an official.” His most recent visit came to South Carolina following the July dead period, marking his second visit to Columbia but first with his parents. “My parents had fun, I had fun visiting back up there. I love to see what coach [Shane] Beamer and them are doing and they grew on my list.”
The lone official visit that Harbor has set is LSU for October 8 but that’s now subject to change. “The only one I had locked in is LSU but I might have to switch that because our dates got switched up, but that’s the only one I had officially locked in. I haven’t locked anything in yet.”
Harbor does know which schools he does want to visit this fall.
“I should be getting to Maryland, South Carolina, Michigan, LSU and I haven’t decided on the last one yet.”
Maryland is targeting the first weekend of December to officially host Harbor, which he confirmed will likely happen but has yet to be finalized. “That’ll be best for me. Since Maryland is closest to home, I don’t have to rush that one.” The biggest obstacle for Maryland when it comes to local recruiting is convincing prospects to take one of five allotted visits to a school close to home, but in Harbor’s mind, it’s an easy decision why he’ll follow through with a trip to College Park.
“I think I should take an official if that’s a school I’m considering. You can see stuff on the unofficial but they don’t show you everything. Like why not get the official visit?” Head coach Mike Locksley has played a heavy hand in Harbor’s recruitment but Harbor has also built a strong rapport with tight end coach Mike Miller. “Just fun, enthusiastic. We click on the same things, he knows what he wants to do with me. he wants to get me the ball, I want to get the ball but he’s trying to make sure if I get to Maryland, it’s a team thing and I can help the team the best I can.”
Don’t assume that because Miller is recruiting Harbor that it means Harbor is a tight end target for Maryland. “Locksley said he wants me wherever I want.”
With still so much to sort out, Harbor revealed his commitment will come “sometime in December” and he will not enroll early at the school of his choice. Until then, he’s looking to boost his profile from the nation’s 16th-best prospect to the top prospect overall.
“They keep disrespecting me so now I’ve got to show them who I really am.”
Harbor is rated a five-star prospect and a 98 overall, sitting as the nation’s top athlete.
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