Recruiting Rundown: Nyckoles Harbor, Season Opener Recruiting

Join Wes Mitchell and Kendall Smith on the Recruiting Rundown to talk the latest on the South Carolina football recruiting front including Nyckoles Harbor, commitments, and official visits.

More Gamecocks Recruiting Rundown news:

Zavion Hardy commits to South Carolina

By: Chris Clark

The Gamecock football program has continued a hot recruiting streak by picking up a commitment from four-star defensive lineman Zavion Hardy.

The 6-foot-5, 260-pounder out of Macon (Georgia) Tattnall Square Academy is ranked by the On3 Consensus as a four-star prospect.

The On3 Consensus has Hardy as the nation’s 146th-best prospect regardless of position, the 16th-best defensive lineman in the country, and the number 12 prospect in Georgia for the 2023 class.

With Hardy’s pledge, Gamecock football is now up to 19 verbal commitments in the 2023 recruiting class. The newest addition pushes South Carolina up to number 17 in the On3 Consensus Team Recruiting Rankings.

Here is more of a Recruiting Rundown on Hardy from On3 via his scouting profile:

Raw and athletic monster along the defensive front whose athletic traits shine on tape and haunt the dreams of ball carriers in the heart of Georgia. Measures in just above 6-foot-4, 265 pounds with a 6-foot-9 wingspan. Has solid explosiveness and get-off. Jumped a 26-inch vertical during the spring camp circuit prior to his senior season. Possesses outstanding foot speed and initial burst. Strong hands and shock at the point of attack. Productive player who is a force in the run and passing game. Tallied up 46 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 4 sacks in 8 games during his junior season. A bit rigid when working laterally. Plenty of hip flexibility when engaged and able to consistently win battles for leverage. High upside prospect who has raw athletic potential combined with terrific size. Top 150 NFL draft potential with collegiate technique refinement in pass rush.

Hardy becomes the second-highest ranked commitment in Shane Beamer’s Gamecock football class of 2023, right behind offensive lineman Markee Anderson and right ahead of recent pledge Xzavier McLeod.

The Peach State product has visited Columbia more than once, including a trip back in the spring as well as an unofficial visit in June.

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Hardy’s On3 NIL Valuation is currently 112K. The On3 NIL Valuation is an index that looks to set the standard market value for both high school and college-level athletes. The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.

South Carolina won Hardy’s commitment after he also accumulated scholarship offers from Florida, Auburn, Ole Miss, Florida State, and others.

Discuss Gamecock football recruiting and the Recruiting Rundown on The Insiders Forum!