Shane Beamer put the finishing touch to his 2023 recruiting class Wednesday afternoon with a commitment and pending signing of WR Nyck Harbor (6-5 225) of Washington, DC. The Gamecocks won a heated battle for the two-sport standout over Oregon, Maryland, Michigan and Miami.
“It’s an amazing program,” Harbor said after making his announcement on ESPN2. “Coach Beamer is building something different there and I just want to be a part of that. Beamer ball is going to be great. It’s just a great family there. It feels that I’m right there at home, and that’s the best place for me. You want to go where your heart is at and make everything work.”
Harbor is one of the nation’s top high school sprinters and has Olympic aspirations. Track will be a big part of his athletic career with the Gamecocks. As a football player, he will bring to the program a unique set of skills with his size and speed. He can also play defensive end but wants to focus on tight end in college.
Archbishop Carroll coach Robert Harris said Harbor is just one of those naturally gifted athletes that you come across every so often. Harbor played tight end and defensive end for Harris, but he plans to be a wide receiver for the Gamecocks.
“It’s more all-natural right now,” Harris said. “He’s still developing more technique and adding more moves to his game. The power and speed are natural, that’s more instinctive, and now he’s learning how to adjust to speeds, sometime maybe not go as fast as other times.”
Beamer has known Harbor for several years. That early connection paid off for him in the end.
“Coach Beamer actually recruited Nyck when he was at Oklahoma as a freshman,” Harris said. “They’ve known about Nyck since they’ve come in the door. I’m sure the coaches love the fact that he’s so big and so fast. You don’t see that every day, you don’t find that everywhere. His length, with that kind of speed. Typically, the kind speed that Nyck displays, you see a guy about 5-foot-8, maybe 5-foot-7 to maybe 6-foot, 6-foot-1, moving like that.”
Harbor made several visits to USC throughout the recruiting process including an official visit in September.
“For Nyck, I think he loves the facilities, he loves the campus,” Harris said. “He’s gone to camp there, so he’s seen it. He’s toured the buildings that he’s interested in his major. He just loves the overall feel. They’ve made both Nyck and his family feel like family. They’ve fostered that relationship very well over the months.”
Harbor becomes the 33rd newcomer for the Gamecocks in their 2023 group, and the sixth at wide receiver.
