Exclusive Interview: 4-Star 2021 California ATH DJ Harvey Drops Top 3 Schools

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG

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Over the last two high school football seasons, Class of 2021 standout DJ Harvey has earned the athlete label along with his four-star recruiting status the hard way. The 5-11, 182-pound, talent has been a dynamic presence on the field for Sierra Canyon in all three phases earning MaxPreps All-American honors in 2019 for the culmination of his work. His junior campaign ended with 1,465 yards and seven touchdowns off 84 receptions, a 35-tackle four-pick run at corner, and he took back 11 kicks for 312 yards and 15 punts for 269 aiding in the Trailblazers 14-2 California state championship run.

With 22 offers on the table and the recruiting process heating up, Harvey takes a break from his rigorous offseason workouts updating us on all that he has been doing this spring and summer.

*Click link for RNG’s Under Armour Camp video interview with DJ Harvey

Interview

DJ, given your overall talents as a gifted skilled player with speed to burn, how have you worked this spring and summer to add more speed, burst, and explosiveness to your game?

“This offseason I have been working out with my best friends and teammates (JD) “Quatro” Sumlin, Kamari Ramsey, and Drue Watts. Quatro’s dad is a trainer, I’ve been working out with him. When the quarantine started, he was here to help us. Our speed coach, Coach Yahvid, he has been around all of us since we were little. We’ve been working with him doing sled work, carrying a 30- or 40-pound medicine ball up hill; he’s getting our legs ready for the season and with more explosiveness.”

Have you run a 40 or posted a timed practice track run this offseason?

“I did in track. We did not run a meet but we did get timed runs in during a practice. In the 100, I was at a 10.8- low 10.7 without warming up.”

Nice. As a receiver, which areas of your game have you focused on fine-tuning this offseason?

“My release off the ball. Last year I showed I can be a deep threat and a red zone threat, but last season my releases sometimes hurt me. After going over film with my coach, I want to perfect the releases. My freshman year when I started playing varsity, I could not figure it out but then last year I started to perfect it. I have been working more on my release this offseason. I am a deep threat receiver and I want to keep people guessing.”

What about as a cornerback? What have you been working on with that part of your game?

“Patience and more footwork. I have been working with Anthony Brown. All work is work; I have known him for a long time. Coach Brown is my God uncle’s brother. Working with him, he has been teaching me new things. He is a great guy to be around. We’ve focused on technique this offseason. He is not worried about how fast you are but focuses on technique and patience. If you have technique, you don’t need speed, but speed can be your savior.”

Are you taking on all the same roles in 2020, receiver, corner, punt and kick returner?

“I think it will be the same, but who knows. For a game, or based on the team we are playing, they may put me at linebacker or running back. It does not matter to me where I play. When you play both sides your whole life, you want to do that. You are born to do it and you can do it. The coaches at Sierra Canyon might come up with a crazy idea for me this season.”

Once the 2020 season gets underway, what personal goals do you want to accomplish?

“Win CIF again – this will be my third year in a row to win CIF, and I want to win state. For a personal goal, I want to be more of a vocal leader. People around me know I don’t talk on the field, I lead by example. This offseason I am becoming more vocal. I want to help the transfers and younger guys become more intertwined with the team. Stat wise for me, I just want to be better than last year. I want to beat my 1,400 yards with 1,500; I had four picks last season, I want seven this year. Always have a goal and go reach it.”

The offer sheet has pushed north of 20, at which position are most of the offers coming in for you?

“It has been 50-50. Some teams want me as a DB, some as a receiver, and some are recruiting me as an athlete. To me, I think I will go as a DB but who knows.”

As a do-everything kind of player, the four-star recruiting status speaks for itself, but do you have a favorite position on the field?

“Not really. I feel like if I was biased, I’d say cornerback. I was thrown into that position. Then once I understood it, I became comfortable with it. Younger me would say the offensive side, but now being older and having a better mindset, I don’t know. My mom likes me on offense and my uncles like me on defense. To me, I don’t care as long as I am on the field.”

How many offers do you have?

“Twenty-two.”

Harvey’s Offer Sheet: Arizona, Arizona State, Auburn, BYU, California, Florida International, Fresno State, Kansas, Louisville, LSU, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oregon, Rutgers, Southern Miss, Texas, UNLV, USC, Utah, Virginia Tech, and Washington State

Are any schools showing interest or have they all offered?

“No, since I dropped my top schools list, it has been cool.”

When the campuses open back up, are there any visits you may take official or unofficial?

“I think I will take visits to Cal, Virginia Tech, and most likely to Oregon; I have been there but I want to see it again. Who knows? I don’t know to be honest. If I feel like I don’t need to take any, I won’t but who knows. Hopefully we have a season and I can go on some visits. I have been to all the schools except Texas.”

You mentioned this a minute ago, let’s go deeper into it. On April 24 you released a Top 5 schools list, of Texas, Virginia Tech, Cal, USC, and Oregon; has anything changed with that list?

“Yes, it is down to three; Oregon, Cal, and Virginia Tech.”

Do you have a commitment date in mind?

“I had a date of September 18th, but who knows now. It might be later. For now, I am still going with that date.”

When you make your final decision, what will be some of the deciding factors that guide that choice?

“Trust, loyalty, and being honest. I am around a group of very honest people. If you are honest with me, I can’t tell you if you’re doing right or wrong, but I can trust him to coach me. With trust, I know he has my back on the field and I have his. Another thing, I am looking to get my degree in three years so I can go to the league.”

DJ, thanks for your time today and good luck with the rest of your workouts this summer until we talk again.

“Thank you.”

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Photo credit Harvey family; DJ Harvey workout and at Virginia Tech