The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1482097
50 THE WOLVERINE NOVEMBER 2022 FOOTBALL RECRUITING a first-round draft pick as opposed to the fastest man in the world. He did a finan- cial comparison, and what it took Chase Young to make in a year or two, it probably took Usain Bolt 10 to 12 years." But Harbor is not in athletics just for the dollars. He truly loves both football and track, and intends on participating in both in college and beyond. "I'm hard on myself," Harbor said. "I want to be the greatest at both sports. Track and field is a great individual sport. You have to count on yourself because it's only you and your training. I have amazing coaches that help me. My body is bigger than everyone else, so it's more maintenance. You don't really see people my size. "Because of football, I have to stay around 220. I'm trying to get to the 2024 Olympics. I have big dreams, and I want to fulfill them." A VERSATILE STAR ON THE GRIDIRON On the football front, Harbor is rated as the No. 1 athlete and No. 10 overall prospect nationally, per the On3 Con- sensus, with offers from almost every major program. Right now, his focus is on Maryland, Michigan, LSU, South Caro- lina and a few others. Harbor oozes talent and can play any- where on the field. At Carroll, he comes off the edge on defense and spends time at tight end and wide receiver on offense. His athletic traits alone make him a can- didate to be an early impact player on either side of the ball. "The sky is the limit for Nyck," Harris said. "If I were a college coach, and I had to play him right now, I would line him up as a defensive end and edge rusher de- pending on scheme. But I wouldn't rule out wide receiver or tight end. Shucks, even a safety. I've talked to several pro- grams, and the coaches are fighting over what room he's going to be in." Carroll assistant head coach and de- fensive coordinator Derian Quick shared similar sentiments. "We didn't know where to put him when he came in," Quick said. "We had a whole debate. Is he a safety? Is he a line- backer? Is he a defensive end? "I argued that he was a defensive end. Let's just let him go after the quarter- back. I think he's at the bare minimum of where he can be. He's killing kids right now with two moves. His speed rush is always going to be his No. 1 move, but when he starts adding counter moves to that, it's not going to be fair. "I went to high school with Shawne Merriman, and he ended up getting to 260 and was still running a 4.5. I know Nyck is twice as fast as Shawne. His ceil- ing is freaky high." If you ask Harbor, though, offense may be his best bet long-term. If he truly wants to be a Super Bowl champion and an Olympian, then he has to preserve his body. Football is a violent sport by nature, but lining up at tight end or wide receiver may be more beneficial than be- ing a pass rusher. "The safer position for my body would be tight end," Harbor said. "I can be like Kyle Pitts and used all over the field. In our offense, I play out wide, in the slot and at tight end. It's not just one spot. I'm comfortable moving around. I can do that on the defensive side. When I get 1-on-1's at the edge spot, I make the most of it." Track is simply never going to take a backseat to football, though. He's always had a love for sprinting — even before he turned into one of the most ballyhooed football recruits in America. As Harbor Rated as the No. 10 overall prospect nationally in the On3 Consensus, Harbor is considering Michigan, Maryland, LSU, South Carolina and several other schools. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND