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College Football Recruiting Battle Heats Up for Elite Safety

A four-star recruit is weighing a trio of historical powers for his college choice.
Joe Cox|
Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer has the Tide poised as one of three finalists for four-star safety Tavares Harrington.
Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer has the Tide poised as one of three finalists for four-star safety Tavares Harrington. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Georgia BulldogsAlabama Crimson TideNebraska Cornhuskers

A top defensive back prospect has pared his recruiting down to three national powers. Whether classified as a cornerback or a safety, this four-star standout has drawn attention across the nation and is looking to narrow in on his ultimate destination. But it's not a matter of staying home for this top prospect.

Four-star defensive back Tavares Harrington hails from the Chicago area. While the early projections from On3sports were for Notre Dame, Harrington has thrown aside geography and his indicated to On3sports that he's looking at a trio of college powers, none of which are close to home.

Harrington's Top 3

Georgia, Alabama, and Nebraska make up the three recruiting finalists for Harrington. On3 reports that Harrington has set a June date for an official visit to Alabama, while 247sports places him with that visit but also with a visit earlier in June to Georgia.

Harrington is still being fairly coy about his intentions, telling On3, "I want to find a program with a great coach that is good with developing players at my position."

Exactly what that position is will be a significant question about the 6'3" standout. On3 ranks Harrington as a safety and their industry rankings place Harrington as the nation's No. 11 safety prospect and the No. 125 player in the nation. 247 considers Harrington a cornerback and they rank him 22nd at that poistion and the No. 180 player in the nation.

Assessing Harrington's Options

Tennessee recently extended an offer to Harrington, so it'll be interesting to see if he extends his top three teams into a top four. Obviously, Kirby Smart at Georgia would check the boxes discussed by Harrington. Given the proliferation of Georgia/Smart players who have thrived in the NFL, the chance to use college to prepare for the pros might be the most obvious asset of Georgia.

Alabama has a historically strong defensive unit, but it has had a few stumbles under coach Kalen DeBoer. But the Tide combine the strength of prestige and national significance with perhaps an earlier opportunity to see the field.

Finally, Matt Rhule and Nebraska are certainly presenting a chance to play. The Huskers are just 19-19 in Rhule's three seasons. While Rhule parlayed a hot start and some interest from Penn State into a contract extension, he may be on relatively thin ice with the Huskers.

In any case, Harrington has a solid selection of top programs and given his length and athleticism, he has the potential to climb even higher up the recruiting rankings in his senior season. Harrington's recruitment promises to be one worth watching.

Rhule
Nebraska coach Matt Rhule could offer playing time to prep safety Tavares Harrington as a 2027 recruit. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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Joe Cox
JOE COX

Joe is a journalist and writer who covers college and professional sports. He has written or co-written over a dozen sports books, including several regional best sellers. His last book, A Fine Team Man, is about Jackie Robinson and the lives he changed. Joe has been a guest on MLB Network, the Paul Finebaum show and numerous other television and radio shows. He has been inside MLB dugouts, covered bowl games and conference tournaments with Saturday Down South and still loves telling the stories of sports past and present.

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