(Josh Harper 6-5 195 Sr. DE/TE Marist) |
High end academic and Ivy League type schools have always had a presence here in the northwest, but we have seen things start to pick up on the recruiting front for some of the region’s top smart kids. Just recently Mason Friedline of Kings HS in Seattle chose Yale over a host D1’s that had offered, speaking to the talent level of some of the schools.
The Class 5a sack leader from a year ago, Josh Harper (6-5 195 Sr. ATH/DE) of Marist, is an outstanding overall athlete and someone you hear nothing but positives about from everybody. Everyone that has crossed paths with Josh, including Head Coach Frank Geske, would be happy to tell you what a good kid he is first and foremost.
Harper racked up 10 Sacks and 67 total tackles in 2011, and was one of the breakout performers of the year on Marist team that was tripped up in the state semi finals. Josh had an outstanding off season on the camp circuit, and was also one of the top hoopers in the Midwestern Conference. The past two seasons he has lead his team in scoring earning 1st team all league honors as a junior and 2nd team as a sophomore.
His overall athleticism is what makes him so appealing as his ceiling is high especially with the kind of kid he is. Harper understands he will need to add weight if he’s going to play on the front lines in college, but that’s doable. Whats not teachable are his quicks off the ball and his understanding for how to get to the QB. Mt View went physical with Harper in last years state semi’s and others will attempt to do the same, because athletically he will beat you most of the time. At the UW Showcase Event Harper terrorized lineman off the edge as most of them couldn’t block him.
Josh has a weighted 4.157 GPA with a 1696 on the SAT. He’s the type of kid that will do the right things on and off the field, which is huge in a day in age where colleges do their home work on what type of athlete they are getting. Josh says, ” We aren’t going to be as big up front as we have been in previous seasons, but we are still very talented and have a lot of our key skill guys back from last year”.
Marist is (37-2) in there last three seasons, with 3/4’s of their games being over by halftime in a very top heavy Midwestern Conference. The Spartans haven’t been challenged often, with their only two losses coming in the 2010 State title game to Sherwood and to eventual state champion Mt. View in the Semi’s in 2011.
Harper is going to be called upon to make plays on offense, and could end up being one of QB Kamerun Smith’s (6-6 190 Sr.) favorite targets as every team in the state will be doubling Austin Baird (6-0 185 Sr. WR/S). Expect to see Marist be one of the top teams state wide at the 5a level, starting the season with a tough contest at Bend, lead by another one of the state’s top QB’s in Jonah Koski (6-3 195 Sr.)
In all you aren’t going to find a much better kid then Josh Harper. We write a lot of articles at NEI and the athletes we speak of are for the most part great people with incredibly bright futures. Josh even exceeds that and is someone that, and is someone I would bet on to succeed big time in life once his athletic career is over. He’s just a very smart, humble, and talented individual that we are excited to see do his thing in 2012.
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/487224/highlights/9259387 Josh Harper highlights
( 6-5 and SUPER quick coming off the end, 2011 5a sack leader Josh Harper-Marist)
( Harper is one of the state’s best basketball players at the 5a level as well)
