Oct 18, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils wide receiver Jordyn Tyson (0) against the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the second half at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

ASU Contending For Talented 2027 Athlete

Originally posted on Arizona State Sun Devils on SI
By Max Dorsey | Last updated Feb 9, 2026 11:30 AM ET

While Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham and his staff secured their third commit of the 2027 recruiting cycle last week, landing three-star wide receiver Tycen Johnson, the Sun Devils are showing no signs of slowing down on the recruiting trail.

As the cycle continues to heat up, the Sun Devils are making progress with some of their top targets in the 2027 class, including a three-star athlete whom one analyst believes Arizona State is firmly in contention to land.

Sun Devils Reportedly in the Mix for 3-Star Athlete

For nearly a year, Arizona State has been targeting Bayon Harris, a three-star athlete from Central East High School in Fresno, California. The Sun Devils first offered him in February 2025 and have been actively pursuing him since.

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Harris is a talented 6’3”, 205-pound prospect with the versatility to play multiple positions at the college level, though he’s widely projected to play wide receiver. He’s coming off an impressive season at Central East, where, according to his X, he recorded 86 catches for 1,770 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns in 15 games.

He would be an excellent addition to Arizona State’s 2027 class, with 247Sports’ composite rankings listing him as the No. 589 overall player in the country, the No. 45 athlete, and the No. 60 prospect in California.

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Although Harris holds offers from several Division I programs, Rivals’ Adam Gorney recently reported that two schools have emerged as the frontrunners in his recruitment: Arizona State and UCLA.

According to Gorney, Arizona State and UCLA are both very much in the mix for the three-star athlete. He noted that while the Sun Devils had built an early lead with Harris, the Bruins have recently surged in the race for the Central East star.

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“Arizona State and UCLA are battling it out for the Fresno (Calif.) Central East receiver who caught 86 passes for 1,768 yards and 26 touchdowns in his junior season,” Gorney wrote. “The Sun Devils have had the edge for him but after a recent visit to Westwood where he hit it off with the new UCLA coaching staff, the Bruins are right in this recruitment as well.”

Despite UCLA’s late push for Harris, Arizona State was among the first programs to offer him and has pursued him longer than any other Power Four school.

If the Sun Devils can bring Harris to Tempe for a visit this spring, Dillingham and his staff should be able to solidify their standing in his recruitment and be well-positioned to land one of the top overall athletes in the 2027 class.

This article first appeared on Arizona State Sun Devils on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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