South Carolina Gamecocks Rising Star Signs New NIL Collective Deal

A rising star at wide receiver for the South Carolina Gamecocks has signed an NIL deal with the school’s collective, the Garnet Trust.

Nov 9, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Nyck Harbor (8) runs the ball after a made catch against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the first half at FirstBank Stadium. / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

These days, signing a Name, Image and Likeness deal and a return to football for the following season seem to go hand-in-hand.

That was the case for South Carolina wide receiver Nyck Harbor.

The Garnet Trust, South Carolina’s NIL collective, announced on Saturday that it had reached a deal with Harbor, a wide receiver who is poised to have a huge season in 2025.

The Garnet Trust announced the deal on social media.

The sophomore didn’t make a formal announcement that he was returning for 2025, but the NIL likely cements a third season for him in Columbia. Plus, he posted this to social media shortly after the Garnet Trust announced the deal.

🎱 pic.twitter.com/3NbJq3tnRq

— Nyckoles Harbor (@Nyck1k) January 5, 2025

The 6-5, 235-pound receiver is one of the top athletes in the SEC and his numbers suggest that 2025 could be huge year for him, the first year he’ll be eligible for the NFL Draft.

The former five-star prospect caught 24 passes for 376 yards and three touchdowns. That was second on the team behind tight end Joshua Simon.

With quarterback LaNorris Sellers returning, Harbor could have a big year after South Carolina went 9-4 in 2024.

Harbor could be preparing for a second season with the Gamecocks’ track and field team, as he was a two-sport athlete in high school and has continued so in college. That kept him out of spring drills last season.

During the outdoor season he earned co-SEC Freshman of the Week accolades after posting the third-fastest 100 meters in school history. Harbor also recorded his best times during the outdoor season of 10.11 in the 100m dash and 20.20 in the 200, earning second-team All-America honors in both events.

As a true freshman in 2023, Harbor played in all 12 games for South Carolina, including starts each of the final five games. He finished with 12 receptions for 195 yards, with an average of 16.3 yards per catch, along with a touchdown.

The Gamecocks recruited him out of Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C., where he played both football and ran track.

On the football field, he was a tight end and defensive end who was named a two-time Gatorade Player of the Year in the District of Columbia.

He was also a two-time Gatorade Boys Track and Field Player of the Year in the District of Columbia (2021-22). He swept the 100- and 200-meter dashes at the 2021 and 2022 state meets and is the state record-holder in both events.