Harris ready for the next chapter

After months of speculation, Cleveland Heights (Ohio) wide receiver Jaylen Harris made a January commitment to Ohio State just a couple of weeks ago. The Rivals250 product had long been penciled in to the Ohio State 2017 recruiting class but took his time with the process in order to make a sound and informed decision.

BuckeyeGrove.com recently caught up with Harris after his basketball game at the Flyin' to the Hoop Invitational where he reiterated why he chose the Buckeyes.

"Growing up, Ohio State was always my dream school," said Harris. "I just prayed everyday and I just kept praying and one day I woke up and my heart was telling me to go to Ohio State. Later that night, I called coach Meyer and told him I was coming."

Harris' commitment call was a happy moment for all involved.

"(Meyer) and his wife were going crazy," he said. "It was so loud in my house because my mom and coach Meyer's wife, they were both just screaming, it was crazy, it was very loud on the phone and in the house. I couldn't really hear what was going on."

Harris has a few months of classes and a basketball season to finish off before he can start the next chapter. Like with many prospects, the days after a commitment are filled with relief.

"Really just getting the commitment out of the way has been the best part," he said. "That took a lot of stress off of me and now I can focus on my basketball season and school. It relieved a lot of stress."

While much of the talk has centered around why Harris would want to play at Ohio State, there is a very important trait that Harris has in him that explains why the Buckeyes would want the four-star talent to play in Columbus. Head coach Urban Meyer agonizes over the compete level of his players, and Harris has shown a high level of competitiveness across the football field and the basketball court during his high school days.

This would seem like a perfect match.

"Just playing hard is how I grew up," he said. "Nothing was ever given to me and I had to work hard for everything that I got. That's really it. I want to be the best so why not go hard and push my teammates to go hard? Ohio State, they always preach about going hard so that's one thing I love about them."

Meyer also has a fondness for multi-sport athletes. As one of the best players and leaders on his high school basketball team, Harris has reaped the benefits that the two sports bring to the table that can help in both environments.

"I think the toughness I bring (to basketball) is because I'm so used to taking hits (on the football field)," he explained. "So when I'm battling down low, those hits and fouls don't hurt me, I'm going to return the contact."

But in college it will just be football for Harris. Which means more time to focus on becoming the best receiver he can be.

"There's going to be more time to work on my craft," Harris explained. "But basketball, playing that throughout high school, definitely helped my on the football field. There are a lot of movements and muscles that I would use on the court that definitely helped me (on the football field)."

Harris has already started to do his homework on the new offensive assistants that the Buckeyes have hired.

"Coach Day hit me up the day I committed and congratulated me," he recalled. "Coach Wilson was at Oklahoma, and I think we're going to go back to his offensive style at Oklahoma. His stats there were really good passing-wise."

Harris is rated the No. 198 overall prospect in the 2017 class by Rivals.com.