5/30/2022 football Edit

Elvin Harris looking forward to UCF visit

Brandon Helwig • UCFSports

Publisher

UCF has had their eye on Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade Madonna offensive tackle Elvin Harris since last season and a recent spring recruiting visit from offensive line coach Herb Hand elevated the 6-foot-6, 320-pound tackle into a top target.

"It all started when Coach (Herb) Hand followed me during football season and started calling me," Harris said. "We had a UCF commit on our team, Jamaal Johnson, so they were always at the games. This past spring, Coach (Kenny) Martin, the defensive tackles coach, came down and saw us. He liked us, so they sent Coach Hand down to scout us. He came to one of our spring practices and offered me that day. He told my coaches that I was the type of player he was looking for."

UCF actually offered two additional Chaminade Madonna offensive linemen after Hand visited that day in early May: Tackle Deandre Duffus and center William Larkins.

A few days later, Harris booked his UCF official visit for the weekend of June 10.

"I'm excited about it," Harris said. "I've only visited once before. That was during my 10th grade year when I went up there doing a college tour with my school."

Jamaal Johnson, a defensive lineman in UCF's 2022 class, has already been in his ear about the Knights.

"He's been talking about UCF, why he committed," Harris said. "He said it's like a family over there and the coaches are great. He loves the head coach, Coach (Gus) Malzahn. I think I'll like it too."

Also visiting UCF the same weekend is Harris' teammate, Deandre Duffus.

"He's been my best friend since pre-K," Harris said of Duffus. "I've grown up with him."

Harris' other offers include Syracuse, FAU, Bowling Green, UCF, Akron and Tulane.

For now, UCF is his only official visit on the schedule. He wants to make a college decision by the end of June.

"I really like how UCF plays," Harris said. "I've been watching videos on Youtube. I like how their practices go. Everybody is working hard and competing to get better. I really like Coach Hand. When he came to the practice, he literally watched every move I made, all the drills. He's shown how he really wants to recruit me."