South Carolina receiver Nyck Harbor is a freak of nature. For Todd McShay, his skill set has called to mind Pittsburgh Steelers receiver DK Metcalf.
Todd McShay Compares South Carolina’s Nyck Harbor to DK Metcalf
Harbor is known in college football circles for being an athletic outlier. The South Carolina Gamecocks receiver could find himself hearing his name called in the 2026 NFL Draft if he shows up like people have hoped since he arrived in Columbia. Prominent analyst McShay views Harbor as a younger version of Pittsburgh Steelers wideout DK Metcalf.
“He’s 6’5″, 240 pounds, (and) he ran a 10.1 200-meter,” McShay said Thursday on “The McShay Show.” “I’m not a big 100-meter guy, but I know that’s fast. Drawing some DK Metcalf comps. Production has not been there, but he finished pretty strong. Nineteen catches, 325 (yards), three touchdowns in the final seven games last year.”
Overall, Harbor had 26 receptions for 376 yards and three touchdowns. He played the most snaps of any Gamecocks receiver in 2024.
“Really DK, really built like DK, really runs like DK,” said McShay’s co-host, Steve Muench. “We’re not kidding, it’s DK.”
Metcalf was traded to the Steelers in March after six seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. During his third and final season at Ole Miss, Metcalf put up 569 receiving yards and five touchdown grabs in seven games. His go-round was cut short by a neck injury, but his 21.9 yards per catch were enough for McShay to recall nearly seven years later.
Ahead of last season, The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman tabbed Harbor as the No. 1 player on his annual Freaks List. Other pass catchers in that order included eventual Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and Ohio State freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith.
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“Despite being as big as some defensive linemen, Harbor is ridiculously fast,” Feldman wrote last August. “As one track coach reminded me, Harbor is competing in NCAA track meets against athletes who are 60 and 70 pounds lighter than him. He is or looks like a video game creation, which was backed up by EA Sports giving him the rare 99 speed and 99 acceleration rating.”
Even before playing a snap for the Gamecocks, Harbor likened himself to one of the best pass-catchers to ever lace his cleats. People haven’t seen it since Megatron (former Georgia Tech and Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson),” Harbor said after committing to Shane Beamer’s program in 2023. “I feel like I could be better than Megatron, just in terms I’m a little bit taller. I’m a little slimmer down.”
“I’m looking at myself as just being a better Megatron. Just being myself overall because I’m just a game-changer like that.”
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