ST. PETERS, Mo. — If it's a Friday night in the fall, you'll find Arlen Harris Jr. in the end zone.
The Lutheran St. Charles junior running back and defensive back puts on a show for the Cougars every week.
And even though the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has interrupted pretty much everything, including traditional recruiting, it hasn't stopped the prospect from getting attention.
So far, Harris has offers from blue-blood schools like LSU, Florida, Michigan, Penn State, Iowa, Stanford, Illinois and Missouri.
Every program in the country wants Harris, but for him, finding the right fit will be the most important thing.
That doesn't mean local programs like Illinois and Missouri are out of the mix, though.
“Fit is a big thing for me and I have to make sure I have those different points I want in a school, but I would not mind staying close," Harris Jr. said.
However, the recruiting has been different this year. The in-person visits are on hold during a pandemic, with conversations coming via phone and direct message.
Harris isn't just a dynamic talent with the ball in his hand on the field, though. He has some other things working in his favor as well.
For one, as a junior, he still has almost two full years of high school football left to improve. He also has an NFL veteran dad in Arlen Harris Sr. as a head coach to help him in the process.
“He’s just a brain I want to pick and just see what he went through and how he dealt with it," Harris Jr. said of his dad's guidance on the recruiting process.
But although the talent and support will be of help, it’s Harris’ drive and work ethic he’s counting on taking him to that next level.
“It’s going to sound cliche, but it's his work ethic and just his own self-motivation," Harris Sr. said of his son."He can kind of put things into perspective a little bit better and quicker than i have.”
"I want to be successful at the next level as bad as i want to breathe, so I’ll show that through my work ethic and doing things behind the scenes that nobody else sees," Harris Jr. said.
He's one of the only top recruits in the St. Louis area currently on the field every week due to the pandemic, and Arlen Harris Jr. is making the most of his time to shine.
