Brentwood Academy football player Kolbe Harmon believes he will fit in well with Duke University's new coaching staff, led by first-year coach Manny Diaz.
“Coach Diaz is a great coach. His philosophy, his way of thinking about football is really appealing to me,” said Harmon, who committed to the Blue Devils on Thursday. “I want to play for a coach like that.”
“(Cornerbacks coach Vangelo Bentley) and I hit it off right away. He was the only person I spoke to in a really long time when he offered me. He kept calling after that and the conversations went well. I felt comfortable and didn't feel any pressure.”
Duke hired Diaz in December, and Diaz named Bentley to his staff in early January.
One of the top seniors in the Nashville area, the 5-foot-11, 175-pound Harmon is rated by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 20 player in the state of Tennessee and the No. 106 wide receiver nationally for the 2025 class.
Harmon had 42 receptions for 682 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior.
Harmon, who was also a track and field standout, chose Duke over several Power Five programs, including Tennessee, Michigan, Michigan State, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Wisconsin, Miami, Missouri, Kentucky and Louisville.
“My first visit (to Duke in March) was amazing,” said Harmon, who took his official visit to Duke last weekend before committing to the Blue Devils. “As soon as I got off the plane I told my dad I felt like this was the perfect fit. During my official visit, I interacted with the team and the way we talked it was like we'd been friends for seven years.”
His final choices included Tennessee, Miami and Indiana, but he kept the name a “secret.”
Why not the Vols?
“Obviously, my quarterback (George McIntyre) was going there and we were really close and he was always rooting for me to go there,” Harmon said. “A lot of my friends from other schools were going there too so I guess I had a good support system.”
“But I didn't get the love and attention from the (Tennessee) staff that I expected.”
Most recruiting sites have Harmon listed as an offensive lineman prospect, but he was recruited as a cornerback at Duke.
“I know the depth is there in the corner room,” Harmon said, “but I think I'll have a chance to compete and even if I can't get on the field early, I definitely think I'll have a chance to learn from some of the older guys that really know their jobs.”
