Born and raised in
Chicago Heights, Illinois. Harper II attended
Homewood-Flossmoor High School where he first began to play tackle football. Harper II received offers from universities including
Nebraska,
Duke,
Indiana,
Illinois,
Louisville,
Michigan State,
Bowling Green,
Temple,
Boston College and
Purdue. In June 2019, Harper II announced his commitment to
Oregon. After speculation of leaving for the 2024 NFL Draft, Harper announced his return to Oregon football for the 2024 season in January 2024. == References ==