Buffs nab commitment from California DB Simeon Harris

Benicia, Calif. defensive back Simeon Harris was committed to Fresno State for about five months this year, from mid-February to mid-July.

After backing off his verbal pledge and following a few days in Boulder, during which time he competed in one of Colorado's camps, Harris decided to join the Buffaloes Wednesday, becoming CU's 12th Class of 2022 commitment.

Aside from Fresno State, CSU, Air Force and Utah State were programs to have offered the 6-foot-0, 175-pound prospect. More recently, he had been hearing from a few Pac-12 programs other than the Buffaloes.

Partly playing into his somewhat meager offer sheet was the fact that he played in only two games this past spring, his junior year.

Limited film and exposure stemming from his very short campaign impacted his recruitment but in the end, Harris feels like everything worked out just fine.

“Even playing only two games my junior year, because of how much I worked from my sophomore year and through Covid, I feel like I got more explosive, stronger and faster," he said.

"I can’t complain — I’m just grateful for the opportunity. But at the same time, I feel like things got cut short. If I would have played (a full season) I feel like I would have been skyrocketing off the roof. But I’m just grateful for the opportunity.”

While Harris is listed as a cornerback, the position he primarily played for Benicia, Demetrice Martin has recruited him as a defensive back in general with the expectation that he could be moved to safety.

In late June, when he was in Boulder at CU's camp, he looked to demonstrate his ability to do just that.

“I guarded some slot receivers, playing out five yards and shifting to off — I showed that I can play both off (a wideout) and in press and both corner and safety," he said.

Ultimately, while it would be about three weeks after he departed Boulder before formally de-committing from Fresno State, it was his experience at Colorado's camp that swayed him towards the Buffs.

“Going to Colorado played a big part — seeing the school, participating in the camp and actually getting coached by all the coaches, especially my position coach, coach ‘Meat,’" Harris said.

"Taking his pointers and competing out there on the field is what really played a big part."

Even though his offer from the Buffs came shortly after working out and competing in front of coaches late in June, Martin and Harris have been getting to know one another for some time, even before he pledged to the Bulldogs.

“Me and coach ‘Meat’ have been talking for a long time now," Harris said. "It’s been awhile, so me and him have built a really good relationship. Even before my junior season. Our relationship is really close and we talk like we’ve known each other for years.”

While he was at camp with the Buffs, both Martin and Karl Dorrell singled him out on multiple occasions, taking note of how he looked in coverage.

“My competitiveness and how I don’t like to lose — I feel like that’s what they noticed the most and that’s what they were telling me," he said. "They liked the way I competed.”

"I don’t like to lose, but I’m all about being physical and technically sound — I’d put that first. Technique, being disciplined; a lot of DBs just play and move around with no type of technique to them, so I feel like that’s what really sets me about. I’m also coachable.”