Eden Prairie football coach Mike Grant stopped short of calling running back Andrew Larson the smartest player he’s ever coached, but when it comes to athletic ability and smarts, Larson stands apart.

Larson, who rushed for more than 3,200 yards and 45 touchdowns combined the past two seasons, committed to play football at Harvard.

“He’s excited to have the opportunity to play out there and to be a student-athlete in the Ivy League,” Grant said. “I think they got a steal.”

Grant said Larson received no offers from Big 10 schools. The Gophers showed marginal interest but only if Larson was willing to wait for an offer. The chance at Harvard, Grant said, “was too good to pass up.”

Larson capped his high school career leading Eden Prairie to its seventh large-school state title. In the championship game against Wayzata, he ran 33 times for 124 yards and scored the game’s only touchdown.

“He was a huge part of our championship team,” Grant said. “He’s a good athlete who’s got the brains, but he also meant a lot with his character and leadership. He got other kids to perform at a higher level.”