Myles Harden Bio
Myles Harden (born December 13, 2001) is an American professional football cornerback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the South Dakota Coyotes and was selected by the Browns in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL draft. Standing 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing around 194 pounds, Harden earned recognition as one of the top defensive backs in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) before transitioning to the professional ranks.
Early Life and Background
Harden was born on December 13, 2001, in Miami Gardens, Florida, where he grew up. He first tried football at the age of eight after initially playing basketball as a young child. The sport quickly became his main focus, and he continued developing his athletic skills throughout his youth in South Florida.
He attended Miramar High School in Florida, where he played both football and track and field. Harden was a three-year varsity letter-winner on the football team after being called up from the junior varsity as a sophomore. As a junior, he received honorable mention All-County honors, and as a senior he totaled eight interceptions while being named All-County. He helped Miramar win a district title and was invited to the Dade vs. Broward County All-Star Game.
Despite his productive high school career, Harden received little attention as a college recruit. He ultimately enrolled at the University of South Dakota as a zero-star prospect, choosing the Coyotes in hopes of building his profile in the FCS.
Path to American Football
Harden’s first season at South Dakota, the 2020 campaign, was postponed to spring 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In his debut he totaled four tackles, two interceptions and two pass deflections. He ultimately started four games and recorded 16 tackles, nine pass deflections and two interceptions, leading the nation in passes defended per game. His performance earned him honorable mention All-Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) honors, a spot on the All-MVFC newcomer team, and freshman All-American recognition from HERO Sports.
His fall 2021 season ended six games in due to a leg injury, and at the time he was the team’s fourth-leading tackler. In 2022, he played in six games before re-injuring the same leg and missing the remainder of the year. Even with the abbreviated season, Harden was named All-MVFC, a HERO Sports sophomore All-American, and was the third-leading tackler on the team with 44 tackles, forcing six turnovers and adding nine pass deflections.
Myles Harden Career
Early Career (2020-2022)
During his first three college seasons, Harden established himself as a playmaking defensive back despite two season-ending leg injuries. He consistently produced tackles and turnovers whenever healthy and earned multiple conference and national recognitions for his work in coverage and run support. By his third year, he was widely regarded as one of the top cornerback prospects in the FCS.
Senior Year Breakthrough (2023)
In his senior season in 2023, Harden became a team captain and played in all 13 games for the South Dakota Coyotes. He finished the year with 58 tackles, seven pass deflections and one interception, anchoring a defense that competed at the top of the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
His leadership and production earned him first-team All-MVFC honors and first-team FCS All-American recognition from multiple national selectors. Following the season, Harden declared for the 2024 NFL draft and received invitations to both the East-West Shrine Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine.
Cleveland Browns Era (2024-Present)
Harden was selected in the seventh round, 227th overall, of the 2024 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns. Shortly after training camp, he was placed on injured reserve on September 12, 2024. He worked through his rehabilitation with the team’s medical staff during the early months of his rookie campaign.
Harden was activated from injured reserve on December 14, 2024, and returned to the Browns’ defensive rotation late in the season. His return gave Cleveland additional depth in the secondary as the team navigated the closing stretch of its schedule.
Notable Events and Milestones
Harden’s professional journey is marked by his transition from a zero-star recruit to an NFL draft pick in just four college seasons. He led the FCS in passes defended per game as a freshman, overcame two significant leg injuries to become an All-American, and earned a starting opportunity with one of the NFL’s historic franchises.
Myles Harden Career Wins
As a cornerback, individual win totals are not the primary measure of success, but Harden contributed to several notable team and personal achievements across his playing career.
South Dakota Highlights
Harden helped lead the South Dakota Coyotes defense during a competitive stretch in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, where the program regularly contended for conference titles. His play in coverage and his turnover-forcing ability made him a consistent contributor on a defense that faced high-powered FCS offenses. The most recent of his individual accolades came in 2023, when he earned first-team All-MVFC and first-team FCS All-American recognition.
Myles Harden Family
Personal Life
Public details about Harden’s family life remain limited. He was raised in Miami Gardens, Florida, and has continued his professional football career in the United States.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into 2025, Harden enters his second season with the Cleveland Browns after activating from injured reserve in December 2024. The Browns are expected to give him an expanded role in the secondary as he builds on his late-season experience from his rookie year. His familiarity with the team’s defensive scheme should help him compete for a larger share of snaps in the cornerback rotation.
Coming off a productive college career that included first-team All-American honors, Harden has the physical tools and coverage skills to develop into a steady contributor at the NFL level. Continued health will be a key factor, given the leg injuries that limited him earlier in his career at South Dakota. A strong training camp and preseason would solidify his position on the Browns’ depth chart entering the regular season.
With Cleveland looking to strengthen its defense, Harden has an opportunity to establish himself as a reliable cornerback and special teams contributor throughout the 2025 campaign.