Pressley Harvin III

Pressley Harvin III's Biography

Pressley Harvin III, the expanse of whose forthcoming influence was far from envisaged when he took birth on September 17, 1998, is an iconic image of talent in the realm of American professional football. Hailing from the humble town of Alcolu, South Carolina, Pressley had been cradling a passion for football since he was a child. He began his football journey as a determined offensive lineman and later channelled this commitment into becoming the punter for his middle school team in the seventh grade.

The next significant stride in Harvin’s journey was his education at Sumter High School. It was here where he undertook a humongous responsibility as he endeavored to become the Gamecock’s varsity punter during his freshman year. Not limiting himself to the territorial boundaries of punting, Pressley also expanded his expertise by involving himself as a tight end. Exhibiting a strong performance as a senior, Harvin recorded an average of 42.5 yards per punt and earned the All-State title for two consecutive seasons. Concurrently, Harvin was honing his skills as a thrower for Sumter’s track and field team, securing second place in shot put and fourth place in discus during the South Carolina Class 5A State Championship.

Upon graduation, Harvin initiated his tenure at Georgia Tech. He made his mark by delivering an impressive performance as a true freshman and was recognised as the leading punter among all Division I freshmen with an average of 44.1 yards per punt. With this conquest, Pressley secured the third team All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) honor. His sophomore year was no different as he received the second team All-ACC award with a punt distance amassing 3,583 yards on 80 punts, thus averaging 44.8 yards in his junior season.

Emphasizing his will to supersede his own accomplishments, Harvin’s senior year witnessed him shatter both Georgia Tech’s and the ACC’s records by averaging 48.0 yards per punt. His performance propelled him to the first team All-ACC and the unanimous first team All-America selection. He also won the prestigious Ray Guy Award as the top-ranking collegiate punter, thus, becoming the first African American player to receive such honor.

Post college, Pressley ventured into the professional football league. He was the 254th draft in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. On May 15, 2021, Harvin sealed a four-year rookie contract with Pittsburgh. He successfully surpassed his compatriot Jordan Berry to be named the team’s punter during their training camp.

Harvin unveiled his skills to the NFL world during the Steelers’ season opener against the Buffalo Bills on September 12, 2021, scoring 207 yards with a mere five punts, propelling his team to a 23-16 victory. His outstanding performance etched his name on the PFWA All-Rookie Team. Harvin debuted in the post-season on January 16, 2021, in the AFC Wildcard round. Despite the team’s 21-42 loss against the Kansas City Chiefs, Harvin confidently punted seven times for a collective 348 yards, averaging 49.71 yards per punt.

Playing under the Steelers’ banner, Harvin experienced a lull in his performance during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, averaging only 43.83 yards per punt and ranking 32nd among all starting punters across the NFL’s 32 teams. However, amongst this descent, Harvin made his second post-season appearance January 15, 2024, against the Buffalo Bills, where he punted 151 yards in four attempts despite the 17-31 loss.

On February 12, 2024, Harvin’s time with Steelers came to an end as the team released him. Never the one to give up, Harvin later inked a one-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers on August 9, 2024. Unfortunately, fate had other plans as Harvin was waived just weeks later on August 26, 2024 before the commencement of the 2024 NFL season. Ultimately, Harvin maintains his free-agent status, holding his skills and expertise in readiness to step into another significant phase of his professional football career.