2021 Recruit Antonio Harmon Says He’s Willing to Play on Either Side of the Ball, Updates LSU Recruitment

On and off the football field, 2021 recruit Antonio Harmon just wants to make his family proud. Currently ranked as the No. 3 player in the state of Mississippi according to 247Sports, Harmon has established himself as a top receiver prospect, but that's not the position LSU is recruiting him for.

"I'm doing this for my parents, they want me to make something of myself and any school that gives me a shot to make me better, I don't care where it is," Harmon said. "I never really had a favorite team or anything growing up so just finding the best fit for me is what I'm focused on."

Oregon, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and LSU are just a few of the schools that have been recruiting Harmon over the last few months. Harmon said he's hoping to visit all of those schools before making any final decisions as well as Georgia.

A four-star wide receiver recruit according to 247Sports, Harmon is recruited by most programs as a receiver but LSU is the only school that's recruiting him as a safety. Harmon said the defensive side of the ball, while not as polished as his receiver skills, is just as fun to play.

"LSU has a history of great defenses and I think I'd be able to fit in well with what they do over there," Harmon said. "They're definitely in my top schools and I just want to take that official visit and see how it is up there."

Harmon has been thinking about when he actually wants to commit and said the coronavirus outbreak has pushed everything back, including when he'll commit. The most likely scenario now will see Harmon decide towards the end of the summer or early fall.

At 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, not only does Harmon possess the physical traits to be an effective safety at the college level, but he feels his experience as a receiver can help him in a variety of ways on defense.

"I can read coverages very well and as a safety, I know what a receiver's mindset because I'm a receiver to," Harmon said. "I think it's very unique to know what both positions are thinking and use it to my advantage."

Harmon has played both receiver and safety since his freshman year at Kosciusko High School and said improving his technique will go a long ways into becoming more of a playmaker on defense.

"Grabbing more interceptions and stops will come with the improved technique," Harmon said. "Understanding the different coverages and really just continuing to improve on everything that I've been taught and already know."

That unique size for a safety isn't something that Harmon feels makes him stand out because he acknowledges that if you don't put the work in, it doesn't matter how big and tall you are.

When Harmon isn't helping his father with the family ceramic tile business or working out and running, he'll find time to run routes with his quarterback and then work on his man coverage skills as well. Those man coverage drills are mostly used to improve on his footwork, even if there isn't always a receiver on the other end.

"I work out a lot, I run a lot and I choose to get bigger and I take the workouts very serious because if you don't put all your effort into it, you won't see the results," Harmon said. "I work everyday with my dad building ceramic tiles and then I'll workout three days a week and two of the other days I'll run two or three miles."

While Harmon doesn't watch a ton of college football, he was able to witness the explosive 2019 LSU offense from a distance. Harmon, who attended the Ole Miss game that saw the Tigers win 58-37 in Oxford, was blown away by the efficiency of the offense.

He also knows that going to a program that features such an elite offense would help him improve dramatically at safety because of the competition that would exist.

"I've been playing safety all my life and I really like playing safety," Harmon said. "At the end of the day, I'll play either one.”