As eyes start to shift towards the 2026 NFL Draft class, South Carolina's Nyck Harbor is gaining national buzz as a potential breakout star ahead of the 2025 college football season.
“Harbor is still relatively raw as a receiver,” PFF’s Max Chadwick said, “but he did lead the Gamecocks with 376 yards this past season. If he can show more nuance as a route-runner, he has the type of freakish tools that rarely escape the first round.”
According to PFF (Pro Football Focus), the Gamecocks' star wide receiver was highlighted as a player who could skyrocket his draft stock if he can show out this season. Harbor, a former five-star track phenom, is entering his junior season as a key weapon in the South Carolina offense. And this could be the year he puts it all together.
In Harbor's freshman season, he recorded 12 receptions for 195 yards and a touchdown and made significant strides in his sophomore year. He appeared in all 13 games, started eight games, and racked up 26 catches for 276 yards and three touchdowns. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound speedster is expected to take on a bigger role this season as the Gamecocks aim to build off of that strong 2024 campaign.
South Carolina opens the 2025 college football season on Sunday, August 31 in Atlanta against Virginia Tech. This marks the first time the two teams have met since 1991, and the 21st meeting overall in the series. South Carolina leads the series 11-7-2. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m.