12/12/2022 football Edit

Oregon State Dips Back Into Florida to Land Safety Harlem Howard

Dylan Callaghan-Croley • BeaversEdge

Recruiting Analyst

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COMMIT STORY: Oregon State lands Florida three-star DB Harlem Howard

Oregon State's coaching staff for the third time in the 2023 recruiting cycle has dipped into Florida, specifically the Fort Lauderdale area to land a future Beaver.

After landing wide receiver Tastean Reddicks and defensive Zakaih Saez earlier in the cycle, the Beavers had a late cycle addition in safety Harlem Howard on (DAY). The three-star commitment announced his decision just coming off his official visit to Corvallis.

Howard committed to the Beavers over Akron, Coastal Carolina, FAU, Georgia State, Indiana, Louisville, Marshall, Vanderbilt, and Western Kentucky among others.

He is the second 2023 prospect to commit to the Beavers in the last three days, joining Hawaii linebacker Leonard Ah You, who committed to the program on Friday.

How it happened:

The 6-foot-1, 170-pound safety was offered by the Beavers in mid-September and was closely monitored in the weeks following. However, after the departure of Texas safety Jalen O'Neal from the class in October, Howard became a bigger priority for the Beavers. Jonathan Smith and his staff would then push over the next several weeks in hopes of getting the Pompano Beach (FL) native on campus for an official visit. That official visit, of course, took place this weekend and it went extremely well, ultimately resulting in his commitment to the program.

Howard's decision also notably comes before he was expected to take an official visit to Georgia Tech this upcoming weekend. We do not expect that official visit to happen following his commitment.

What he brings to Corvallis:

The first word I would use for Howard is instinctual. He shows a strong football IQ and takes advantage of the smallest mistakes from his opponents. He's quick to read and react to offensive plays, shows strong ball-tracking skills, and is a natural ball hawk safety.

He's also quite explosive, whether it's in the secondary, blitzing off the edge, in punt block, or on offense, he can make a lot of people miss. He's not the fastest in terms of straight-line speed but he does make it look rather effortless. Appears to be elusive which if he contributes to special teams could be a great asset for him at the next level.

Size-wise, Howard is your prototypical safety at 6-foot-1 and 170-pounds, he'll likely need to add 20-30 pounds of weight before he sees the field but the 6-foot-1 frame is a strong one for any safety.

Overall, Howard is a quality safety prospect and one that could be quite the steal for the Beavers down the road. Thanks to his instincts and football IQ, he may be able to see the field sooner than others, with only having to add some weight to his frame.