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The South Carolina football team got a huge boost this weekend in the form of a star player’s announcement on his future. Nyckoles Harbor will be a full-time participant this offseason.
He’d previously split duty with the Gamecocks football and track teams. Now, he’s dropping track after an impressive freshman season to focus solely on one sport.
Harbor signed with South Carolina as a five-star athlete that played both offense and defense at the high school level. He came to Columbia given his opportunity to both play wide receiver and pursue track dreams.
At 6-5 and 245 pounds, those events often produced the hilarious image of Harbor towering over his competition. That size did little to slow him down.
In his debut season, he set new personal records while writing his name in the program’s history books. He got an opportunity to compete for a national title while also qualifying for Olympic trials ahead of the 2024 Paris Games.
South Carolina’s Nyckoles Harbor, a 5⭐️ recruit in the Class of 2023, ran the 200M dash in 20.86 to get a victory this past weekend.
He already ranks in the top 10 in school history in the event 🌬️pic.twitter.com/Hdyhf06e6W
— 247Sports (@247Sports) February 6, 2024
Nyckoles Harbor is an absolute freak. With that being said, it’s difficult to excel in two different sports at the collegiate level. He’s chosen to focus on his future on the gridiron while putting track and field on hold.
Nyckoles Harbor is a full-time South Carolina football player.
Shane Beamer on Nyck Harbor not running indoor track and solely focusing on football this spring. #Gamecocks
Sponsored by Lexington Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. Our team of experts is here to keep you healthy and active. Life’s a sport, keep playing! pic.twitter.com/9YiwQbU9vi
— 107.5 The Game (@1075thegame) January 25, 2025
The wideout hauled in 12 receptions for 195 yards as a freshman for Shane Beamer. His production saw a major bump as a sophomore.
Last season, Harbor caught 26 passes for 376 yards and three touchdowns. His receiving total was good for the second-best mark on the team, and that was with having missed spring practice. He’ll be draft eligible after the 2025 campaign.
Seeing his role grow, and the boasting the potential to keep improving, Harbor is putting 100% effort on football. That should allow him the best chance to take the next step. That’s good news for Coach Beamer as he looks to find playmakers on the South Carolina offense.