Thank you God and my mother for bringing out the best in me and teaching me to leave it all on the field.
Marlon Harbin, W.E.B. DuBois Academy, Louisville, Kentucky
Marlon Harbin is among the very best athletes in the commonwealth of Kentucky. There are ample examples of this. It is not a claim we make haphazardly.
For one, we are told Harbin is a basketball star who attends W.E.B. DuBois Academy in Louisville. We have both heard and seen evidence Harbin scorched Butler High for 20 earlier in the year as only an eighth grader.
We are a football magazine. We are here to talk about a young man who is a football star and among the very best playing the game in Kentucky’s ’26 graduating class.
Harbin recently played in the KYMSFA Battle of the Regions. He was the MVP and helped Region 2 win the championship in the 8th grade division.
How did the young man play? Well, according to the coaches who voted after the contests had been played, he fared exceedingly well. He was selected the game’s MVP for his efforts.
Harbin has also been selected to play in the FBU (Football University) All American Game. This will now be multiple times he has played in either this prestigious event or one similar.
The most selective and prestigious distinction attained by any player at Harbin’s level is a player’s selection to Team Kentucky Future Stars. Former and present Future Stars are known by #Brotherhood.
Anywhere you see this hashtag ascribed or appended to any reference or post for any past or present player, you know one of Kentucky’s very finest is being reported on, written about, or referenced. The Future Stars program knows no equal.
Harbin is a four-sport athlete, by his own Twitter admission. His Twitter page fails to delineate the four sports, we know football and basketball to be among the four by virtue of the evidence we have linked in this article.
We would assume the other two sports would be baseball and probably Track & Field. We believe Harbin, who we know to be a speedster, is likely a sprinter.
As to two of the four sports, we are guessing. You may call it an educated guess.
Now this prospect has what is called “back-end” separation speed. A look at the play we have linked under the word “Highlight” below his above picture will demonstrate what we are attempting to describe.
Harbin is at the bottom of the frame. He wears No. 41 (yellow jersey) and is running a nine (9) route down the near-side sideline.
Watch him run what is also called “The Go.” Notice how Harbin gains easy separation from the corner attempting to cover him down the field.
Look how Harbin catches the pass over his shoulder, without breaking stride, to score. Remember, the corner attempting to cover him isn’t just some random, “run of the mill,” player.
That guy is among the best at what he does in Kentucky’s ’26 class just like Harbin. What equally yoked players are able to do against the other is more significant to recruiters than what a kid may do in a regular game against a player who may not be in the prospect’s league, skill and/or talent-wise.
We like Harbin’s length and believe he has quite a bit more lengthening upcoming looking at his frame. We like how Harbin uses his body to shield defender’s away from the pass and how he extends and high points the ball in his hands from out of mid-air.
We can see this prospect playing both out wide in high school or in the defensive back-third. Either way, this is a name to remember going forward. Here’s where you get out a pen or pencil and jot down the name. M-a-r-l-o-n/H-a-r-b-i-n, in case you were unsure of the spelling.
This is Coach HB Lyon, reporting for KPGFootball, and we’re JUST CALLING IT LIKE WE SEE IT!
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Gosh Marlon Harbin sounds like a great young man! I love ❤️ when I hear or read about an African American youth doing positive things!!!! Praying 🙏🏾 for Marlon