Nyckoles Harbor Brings Elite Potential To The Gridiron
On National Signing day, Shane Beamer and South Carolina's Football program landed arguably the biggest proverbial fish remaining in the national pond as Nyckoles Harbor announced that he was heading down to Columbia for his college career. It was a recruiting win that didn't come easy, but with one announcement, the third-year head man and his staff saw their national perception spontaneously skyrocket.
While we could discuss for months what kind of future off-the-field impact this decision will have for South Carolina's program, what we can't overlook is Harbor, the player. What are the Gamecocks getting in the Washington, D.C. native?
Two-Way Ability
One of the biggest questions surrounding Nyckoles Harbor leading into his decision was whether or not he was going to play on offense or defense because Harbor's so gifted that he played both wide receiver and edge rusher at Archbishop Caroll School.
Harbor prefers to play offense as he wants to avoid having to undergo massive physical fluctuations so that he can both play football and run track. Based on Beamer's comments from his Wednesday press conference, that seems to be the game plan.
Raw Technique With High Upside
One of the downsides to Harbor playing multiple positions is that he hasn't had the chance to fully develop and nail down the nuances of skills needed in those areas, but his god-gifted abilities give him a massive head start in terms of growth.
Harbor's pad leverage and get-off as an edge rusher more than overcome his lack of hand movement when attacking blockers. As a receiver, he's displayed the ability to get open, track, and reel in over-the-shoulder throws. Still, he must work on pinpointing passes and be intentional with routes involving cuts.
A Kid Full Of Ambition
Once some players fully grasp how great they can become at something, their realization can either be their biggest ally or their potential downfall. For Harbor, it's the latter, as he wants to put himself in a position to become a future day-one NFL draft pick, an Olympian in 2024, and even a neurosurgeon when his athletic career is over.
He's not just built differently; he's wired differently, which could inherently lead to great things for the South Carolina Gamecocks.
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