4-star CB DJ Harvey names Cal to his top three

DJ Harvey is a highly sought after recruit for the class of 2021, and a top target for the California Golden Bears. He ranks as a high three-star recruit on the composite rankings and a four-star player from 247Sports. He’s the 18th-best cornerback overall and the 23rd-best player from the state of California according to the recruiting site.

He stands at 5’11, 166 pounds and plays for Sierra Canyon High School in Chatsworth.

And recently, he’s narrowed his top schools of choice down to just three, with of course Cal making the final cut.

The Bears are among a shortlist of strong DB-producing universities as of late, falling on the list with Virginia Tech and Pac-12 rival Oregon.

He spoke with 247Sports about what he likes from Cal:

“Academically, you can’t beat a Cal education. They have a great Marketing and Business program and that’s what I plan to major in. It’s never about just football for me so Cal is really appealing. I also like how the depth chart sets up. They lose some corners and I’ll have a chance to compete for a starting spot right away. I really like the staff a lot too. Coach Wilcox is a defensive minded head coach and that means a lot. They play really good defense at Cal and always will with coach Wilcox in charge. I’ve connected well with Marcell Yates, the new DB coach and I talk with Marshall (Cherrington) all the time too.

“I want my parents to visit before I make a final decision. I was really comfortable in Berkeley and liked it there a lot. It’s a cool campus and I was able to tour the school, see the facilities, the dorms and everything else there. I think my dad would like me closer to home but my mom doesn’t have a preference right now. I have older sisters who have gone to school out of state, one in Texas and one in North Carolina so location isn’t a huge deal for me. I’m just looking for the best opportunity.”

Harvey also has decided to move up his commitment date as well.

It is important to not that last statement, however, in that he wants to make sure his parents can take a trip to each campus before he makes his final decision. It will obviously be a lot easier for him to visit Cal with his parents as it’s much closer, and potentially easier to stay in-state during visits later this summer.

He also spoke about what he likes on the other two schools, Oregon first:

“I’ve always liked Oregon. Even at a young age, Oregon was a school I had a lot of interest in so it was a big deal when they offered and got involved in my recruitment. I visited a couple of times including last year for the Colorado game and it was an incredible experience. That was the game where they had a ton of top recruits in town and it was pretty amazing to be a part of that. The fan support is incredible, they love the football program there and that game atmosphere was the best I’ve been in.

“I like Rod Chance, the new DB coach. My mom likes him as well and I have had a good relationship with Keith Heyward for awhile too. Coach Cristobal is a great guy and reminds me so much of my head coach at Sierra Canyon. Oregon is definitely building something special there and are recruiting at a high level. I love the energy there and the opportunity to compete so that’s why they’re so high on my list.”

And Virginia Tech next:

“I had a great visit there earlier in the year. I can’t really describe it but when I was there, it just felt like home and the bond I had with the coaches was incredible. It was something different for me, I had never been back east but loved it and it honestly felt like home. As i was leaving, every one of the coaches including the head coach all called me to tell me how much they want me and thanked me for coming out. I’m talking every coach there, from the head coach to the strength coach to the WR coach, the OL coach, the whole staff and that was really special for me.”

“I would be the first player from California to ever go there and that’s super exciting for me because I love that challenge. My mom always taught us to be comfortable in uncomfortable situations. That’s where you grow so this would be a fun challenge to go out there, a six hour flight away and you know you have to grow up quick. I could play both ways there too. I would start out at corner but they like me on offense too. Their DB tradition is very high and that’s one of the big things that stands out for me. I love the small town college feel as well and there is no NFL team in sight so it’s all about Hokie football. I’ve done several zoom calls with the coaches and my mom did a couple of virtual tour calls as well.”

Ultimately, his decision will be made once he can get his mom and dad to the schools they haven’t visited, stating “We still want to visit though. I want my mom and dad to go out and see Virginia Tech and Cal, those are the two schools they haven’t seen and once they do, I’ll be ready to make a decision.”

Either way — Cal on the shortlist for his services is a big thing and potentially a big get for the Golden Bears.