Carmel Division I prospect Hart knows ‘this is my time’

Carmel senior Kyron Hart knows that being an effective wide receiver involves more than catching passes.

The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Hart is good enough in a number of areas to be a Division I prospect. He has offers from Toledo and Miami of Ohio and has also received interest recently from Northwestern, Army, Central Michigan and Dartmouth.

“He’s an extreme competitor who plays with a lot of passion and intensity, and that shows up in games,” Carmel coach Jason McKie said. “He attacks every detail about what his position requires and is impactful even when the ball isn’t in his hands. That’s what makes him a Division I receiver.”

As Hart looks to make his mark in the talent-laden Chicago Catholic League, he thinks one trait stands out.

“I’m super quarterback-friendly,” he said. “That’s what’s most important in my skill set. Every time I run a route, I think I can get open, and I’ll do whatever I have to do to get the ball.”

Hart’s self-confidence is a result of his commitment to his position, which makes the Corsairs (2-1) better too.

“To be a great wide receiver, you have to be a great teammate,” Hart said. “When you block for your running back, you’re creating more opportunities in the passing game.

“I came into this season trusting all the work that I’ve done over the years and this summer, knowing this is my time and that it’s time to show what I can do.”

Hart has done that over the course of three games, making 15 catches for 289 yards and four touchdowns. He scored three times during Carmel’s nonconference win over Lake Forest in Week 2, when he had five catches for 121 yards.

Hart made six catches for 112 yards and a TD in the season-opener, a 38-22 loss to Hersey that nonetheless provided his favorite moment of the season so far.

“It was third-and-10, and the quarterback checked me to a fade route,” Hart said. “It was thrown right at the back of the DB’s head, and I jumped over his head and caught it. He just shook his head and put his hands out.”

That illustrates the type of play that a No. 1 receiver like Hart makes when his team is behind the chains. But his role has changed significantly since last season, which was his first at Carmel after he moved to the area from Michigan City, Indiana.

As Hart got acclimated to Carmel, three other receivers combined for 134 catches, 2,455 yards and 28 TDs last season. He finished with 38 catches for 761 yards and eight TDs.

Now Hart is a senior, and he has taken on a leadership role for the Corsairs too.

“Last year was about me soaking everything up and adapting to a new environment, a new everything,” he said. “This year, I feel confident that teammates know me well enough that they can ask me questions and that they’ll listen to me.”

Hart’s transition was complicated a bit when all-state quarterback Trae Taylor, a Nebraska recruit, transferred to a school near the university during the offseason. But Hart and the Corsairs’ new quarterback, Warren transfer Reed Dangel, had already crossed paths.

“I had known him for a couple of years because we were teammates in Midwest Boom in middle school,” Hart said. “We talk about it every day. So this summer we spent a lot of time working out and bonding.”

Dangel was glad to reunite with Hart. In fact, when Dangel spent a day at Carmel to see whether the school would be a good fit for him, the student he shadowed was Hart.

“It’s great to get back with him because we were good friends,” Dangel said. “He always attacks the ball, always wants the ball and runs every route hard. Every time he’s one-on-one, I trust that he’ll go get the ball.”

Hart’s production is an effective complement to Carmel’s two-headed running game, which is headlined by juniors Jaquel Edmonds and Jorden Moore, who have rushed for a combined 428 yards.

“When Trae left, people had a lot of doubt,” Hart said. “We’ve taken that energy and added it as fuel to the fire. We know we’re a good team, and we have these games to prove that we’re right.”