WATCH: 5-star ATH Nyckoles Harbor discusses his final five schools, recruitment

The recruiting process is picking up for Washington (D.C.) Archbishop Carroll five-star athlete Nyckoles Harbor. He has three official visits scheduled for December and already took ones to Michigan and South Carolina in September.

“I would say I’m right in the middle of it,” Harbor told On3. “I’m getting closer to finding that school, but I need to see what everybody offers. I need to see what my options are going to look like, the three schools that I’m going to be going to lastly, and then we can make a decision off that.”

LSU, Maryland and Miami are the other programs getting official visits from Harbor. There is a lot of time until the five-star picks his top school since he plans to sign in February.

On3 was recently out in Washington D.C. and caught up with Harbor as Archbishop Carroll prepares for the playoffs.

What’s the biggest thing about Michigan that keeps them in this final group for you?

NH: Probably the best school on my whole list that has the best of both worlds: academics and athletics. Prestigious academic school… and then, great Power Five football. The Big Ten right now, they’re the No. 4, No. 5 team in the country, whichever place you’re looking at. You can’t get any better than that. The only time you can get better is if somebody in the top three loses and you walk yourself in. That’s really it and then, just to see how it is. It’s impressive because my mom’s from that area. It’s really close. I got a lot of family there, so I’m not gonna be alone.

What about Carolina? Are there one or two things that make the Gamecocks just jump out and stay in this race?

NH: Young, impressive head coach. Coach Beamer, everybody’s believing in what he’s saying, what he’s doing. You could just see how the team and the whole state of South Carolina, or the whole Gamecocks nation, just rise(s) behind him. It’s a fuel to an unlimited fire that they have and I’ve just been very impressed in them, especially with the recruiting class. Grayson (Howard), he’s always texting me. We’re always texting each other. He wants me to come so bad. I’ve been thinking of coach Wright, coach Sterling. It’s a really good group of guys that’s coming in, that’s already been there.

Is Maryland trying to use that stay home, stay local, be the face of this program (message)? What’s their message to you?

NH: Their message to me is stay home, do what Rakim (Jarrett) did. I can probably have a bigger impact than he did. When he stayed home, it shocked the whole DMV and it made some other people stay home. That’s what they believe I can do. Being the face of the program, I don’t think coach Locks wants me to be that yet. I’m only going to be an incoming freshman. I don’t think he wants to put that pressure on me. Hey, if it happens, it happens. I’m going to be ready for it. Once I finish high school and all that, I’m going to be scared, but if that’s what I gotta do, that’s what I gotta do to become the No. 1 draft pick one day.

What is it about LSU that stands out?

NH: Definitely, that connection that me and coach Cain built over the whole year, it’s been amazing. It’s been really amazing, truly amazing. Just (knowing) him since Oklahoma to following him to USC and then LSU, it’s been a tremendous journey with him. He’s probably been, I’d say, my best relation with a coach that I’ve had in college football.

What else about LSU has the SEC school in this?

NH: Great track and field (at) LSU. Anytime you hear about track and field, LSU’s always in the mix. Coach Ards, what they’re doing down there, I’ve known her a long time. That’s my auntie, so she’s gonna push a little harder for me to go there. I want to get down there. Never stepped foot in the state of Louisiana, so I can’t wait to step foot in there.

What are the expectations that you have when you get to Miami?

NH: Expectations… the culture behind Miami. They got a lot of Hall of Famers that (have) come out of that place and they can help me become one. That’s one thing I’d love to do. They just got the No. 1 corner, the quarterback, Francis (Mauigoa). They seem to be getting all these top-ready guys and I want to see what they’re talking about.

What’s it mean to have communication with Jason Taylor?

NH: I was astounded to talk to him. FaceTiming him for the first time, I was like, ‘Dang, Jason Taylor’s calling me…’ We (were) just surprised. That’s an NFL Hall of Famer that’s calling me. And then when Ed Reed texted me, that made my day. I got to talk to Ed Reed! I was just astounded because I used to see him all the time on TV. For me to finally talk to him and pick his brain about stuff, it was one of the best things.

How close is this race for you right now?

NH: It’s real close. I’m a guy that makes sure that he wants to know where he’s going and that he wants to be very, very, very happy about his decision, and then make sure that I’m making the right decision for me because I got really big goals.

What are the most important factors when you pick this one school?

NH: Overall, the team, just to see where the team is projecting and how they’re doing overall in the season, if they’re doing bad, but they got a good recruiting class coming in. I want to see how they can recruit, how many people they got in my position. Am I gonna be coming in? Am I going to have (a chance) to get some possible playing time or am I going to get a chance to start or am I going to have to sit back and learn from somebody for a year or two? That’s really it, just to see how the team is doing, where it’s projected to go, how close they are to winning a championship.