St. Martin’s running back Harlem Berry announced LSU as his college choice as early as he did because the speedster had nothing left to consider.
Listed as the nation’s No. 1 running back by the 247Sports composite rankings for the 2025 class, Berry privately decided on LSU before the prep football season began and told his parents after a recruiting visit to Baton Rouge for a game Oct. 1 against Auburn.
Berry spoke with New Orleans area media Friday after he returned home from Orlando, Florida, where he announced his college choice Wednesday during the Under Armour All-America Game broadcast on ESPN.
“I had my mind made up already,” Berry said when asked about the timing of his announcement. “I thought it would be good because I’d be able to focus on my senior year, just getting bigger, stronger, faster. I wouldn’t have that much pressure with recruiting at all. … I’m trying to graduate early, so I feel like the decision, it’s best to make it now.”
Berry considered Texas and Florida before he settled on LSU.
“I’m close to home (at LSU),” Berry said. “I feel like they definitely will develop me to get to the next level, which is the NFL.”
Berry is coming off a season in which he rushed for 2,080 yards and scored 47 total touchdowns while he played on offense, defense and special teams for the Class 1A private school in Metairie. He scored 37 touchdowns rushing on 158 carries, seven touchdowns receiving, two touchdowns on punt returns and one on an interception return. He had 20 receptions for 401 yards and completed 4 of 6 passes for 81 yards, giving him 2,562 yards of total offense in 11 games.
Berry has topped 2,000 yards rushing in each of his three high school seasons, putting him at 6,393 yards rushing and 101 touchdowns rushing for his career.
Last season, Berry played linebacker for the first time and had 36 total tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, two fumbles forced and one fumble recovered in addition to the interception he returned 62 yards for a touchdown.
St. Martin’s reached the Division IV select quarterfinals and lost to eventual state runner-up Riverside.
The commitment announcement came nearly 10 years to the day after St. Augustine alum Leonard Fournette, the No. 1 running back for the 2014 class, made his LSU announcement, also at the Under Armour game in Orlando.
“Leonard actually texted me congrats when I committed,” Berry said. “It was pretty good.”
Berry’s father, Harry, graduated from St. Augustine one year ahead of chief LSU recruiter Frank Wilson. The former classmates got reacquainted during the recruiting process but did not factor in the decision for Berry.
“I wanted him to choose the school he was comfortable with going to,” said Harry, who did not play football in high school. “At the end of the day, it’s his decision and it’s his future.”