The Latest With Oregon and Top Uncommitted Recruit Nyckoles Harbor
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World class speed. Freakiest athlete in the country.
Those are some of the words used to describe Nyckoles Harbor, the nation's top uncommitted 2023 recruit as we head into National Signing Day on Wednesday. Starring as a two-way standout in high school at Washington D.C.'s Archbishop Carroll, Harbor checks in at 6'5", 230 pounds.
He's slated to make his college commitment on Wednesday at approximately 10 a.m. PT on ESPN.
Here's the latest I'm hearing on this recruitment coming out of his official visit.
I've talked to a number of sources around the Oregon program following this weekend and every one of them has told me Harbor's official went extremely well.
And to a degree, that's what you'd expect to hear right?
After all, he was the only official visitor on campus and he had the staff's full attention, especially after Rodrick Pleasant didn't make the trip.
Oregon rolled out the red carpet for this visit in a number of ways, making the trip incredibly personalized. I'm told Harbor got to spend time with Nike Co-Founder Phil Knight as well as legendary sneaker designer Tinker Hatfield.
He even got to mock up a shoe of his own during the trip, just another example of how the Ducks made the trip personal and are trying to sell him on joining the Nike family. Harbor was also joined on the trip by some reps from his marketing team, which shows how seriously both sides are taking this recruitment.
The towering speedster also got to spend time with the Oregon track coach and we all saw the amazing photoshoots he had at legendary Hayward Field and with the football staff at Autzen Stadium.
Another source I spoke to with knowledge of the recruitment told me that his family prefers that he stays out East closer to home, which would obviously favor Shane Beamer and South Carolina.
Torres' Take
Everything I've been told and all indications point to this now being a two-team race between Oregon and South Carolina.
Just looking at the optics here, it almost feels like the visit went so well you find yourself asking: how can it not be Oregon? And admittedly, that's what I've been asking myself a few times.
However, it's important to look at the whole picture. To play devil's advocate for South Carolina, the Gamecocks have been recruiting him longer than Oregon and he's spokem very highly about his relationships with their 2023 recruiting class.
Oregon has the superior track program, you won't get an argument from me on that, but it's possible that the Ducks turned up the heat too little too late in this one. Dan Lanning AND the track coaches have gone in-home with Harbor out in D.C. and I know that Phil Knight really wants to add Harbor as both a football and track athlete.
Timing favors Oregon here, but it truly feels like a 50-50 toss up that could be too close to call.
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