Tag: Anton Harrison

CBS poses ‘biggest question’ for Jaguars entering training camp

CBS poses ‘biggest question’ for Jaguars entering training camp

Will center Mitch Morse’s addition to Jacksonville’s offensive line be enough to elevate the unit?

That’s what CBS analyst Bryan DeArdo wondered when he penned the “biggest question” every AFC team faces ahead of training camp, which opens to fans in Jacksonville on July 24.

Because, aside from Mirse’s free agent signing in March, Jacksonville is running it back up front, returning its intended starters from 2023 at left and right tackle and left and right guard.

Did they do enough to improve the O-line?

The Jaguars believe that injuries and a lack of continuity were the main reasons why their O-line struggled last year, especially when it came to running the ball. To help address those issues, the Jaguars made a [splash] in free agency when they were able to sign former Pro Bowl center Mitch Morse.

Personally, I think the Jaguars’ O-line will be better this year with the addition of Morse and the expected growth of Ezra Cleveland second-year right tackle Anton Harrison. The development of rookie fourth-round pick Javon Foster (whom the Jaguars view as their future swing tackle) is also key. But the Jaguars need veterans Brandon Scherff and Cam Robinson to stay healthy after injuries hindered their effectiveness in recent years.

The Jaguars finished last season with 59.6 pass-blocking and 40.6 run-blocking grades, ranking No. 21 and No. 31 in the NFL in those respective categories, per Pro Football Focus.

Morse is expected to replace Luke Fortner, Jacksonville’s starting center since his third-round selection by the club in 2022. Fortenr’s 44.3 PFF offensive grade ranked No. 56 of 57 NFL centers who logged at least one snap in 2023; Morse’s 64.5 mark ranked No. 22.

Otherwise, the Jaguars hope the unit can benefit from continuity, and believe it will perform better with improved health and availability.

Cam Robinson enters his eighth year as Jacksonville’s left tackle after missing eight games in 2023, four due to suspension at the beginning of the campaign and another four near the end due to injury. Opposite is Anton Harrison, the Jaguars’ 2023 first-round pick, who flashed promise as a rookie right tackle against several premier NFL edge rushers.

Seasoned NFL veteran and rising third-year Jaguars right guard Brandon Scherff is back on a restructured contract. So is Ezra Cleveland on the left, who Jacksonville traded for around midseason in 2023 and re-signed in March.

Cleveland dealt with multiple injuries during the season, a foot injury with Minnesota before the trade and a knee injury with the Jaguars.

“If you look at it, Week 18 was kind of that snapshot of what the offensive line was supposed to look like with Cam, Ezra, Luke, Brandon and Anton,” Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said in March. 

“When we got Ezra, that was supposed to be what it looked like. They only played one game together. We’re excited for this upcoming offseason to get those guys working together.”

In addition to Javon Foster’s acquisition, Walker Little also returns to the Jaguars’ offensive line after serving as a backup tackle/guard hybrid in 2023. Jacksonville’s second second-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft, Little has started 17 games in three seasons.

Watch: Analyst praises Anton Harrison’s rookie year with Jaguars

Watch: Analyst praises Anton Harrison’s rookie year with Jaguars

Anton Harrison has been lauded for his rookie performance on the Jaguars’ otherwise underwhelming offensive line in 2023, perhaps no more in detail than by film analyst James Foster of A to Z Sports.

Foster published an 18-minute breakdown of Harrison’s first season in the NFL via YouTube on Monday, using All-22 footage to analyze the Jacksonville right tackle’s strengths, areas needing improvement and general performance compared to other rookie tackles in 2023.

Watch the full video below.

“He has the combination of physical traits and advanced technique to be a shut-down right tackle,” Foster said in the video’s introduction. “He still needs to put it all together consistently but he has a chance to be a top-five pass-blocking tackle and it’s looking like one of the best picks from the first round last year.”

Harrison, Jacksonville’s No. 27 overall selection in the first round of last year’s draft, started 17 games in 2023 and ranked No. 2 on the team in offensive snaps logged with 1,113. He did so while playing through a shoulder injury that required minor surgery after the season.

Harrison allowed five sacks over the first eight games of his debut campaign but did not give up another over the final nine matchups, per Pro Football Focus, ending the year on a hot streak in pass protection and letting him enter 2024 with confidence.

Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor believes the self-assurance Harrison generated throughout his rookie year will benefit him as he approaches his second pro season.

“I think there’s a level of confidence that you expect to see from a guy that played the whole season. You saw his confidence grow from Week 1 through Week 18 in just understanding what each week looks like,” Taylor said. “I think that’s one of the biggest things, especially for young guys. Their season ends around Thanksgiving. Well, we’re in the middle of our season right there.

“There’s a long push, each week is a new set of challenges. You face that, you overcome a lot of that and continue to grow. Now you know what to expect in year two. You expect to see that confidence, walk around with a little bit more swagger [and] approach each week with just more understanding of what is coming.”

Oklahoma tackle Tyler Guyton drafted No. 29 overall by the Dallas Cowboys

Oklahoma Sooners offensive tackle Tyler Guyton taken No. 29 overall by the Dallas Cowboys.

The Oklahoma Sooners have another first round offensive tackle to tout. Former Oklahoma Sooner Tyler Guyton is headed to the Dallas Cowboys to play with former Sooner turned Cowboy [autotag]CeeDee Lamb[/autotag].

Guyton was selected with  29th overall by the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Guyton has been on NFL radars since his excellent showing against fellow first-round draft pick Jared Verse in the Cheez-It Bowl.

The Cowboys lost two starters on their offensive line when left tackle Tyron Smith and center Tyler Biadasz signed with the New York Jets and Washington Commanders. With Smith headed to the Jets, the opportunity to select a high-upside left tackle prospect was too much for the Cowboys to pass up.

Guyton, who is 6-foot-7 and 322 pounds, excels in pass protection. He needs to work on his hand placement and consistency as a run blocker, but he’s the type of player that Dallas has successfully developed in recent years.

With his first-round selection, Guyton becomes the fourth offensive lineman since 2010 to be selected in the first round of the NFL draft, joining [autotag]Anton Harrison[/autotag] (2023), [autotag]Lane Johnson[/autotag] (2013), and [autotag]Trent Williams[/autotag] (2010).

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Bryant on X @thatmanbryant.

Tyler Guyton joins Sooners great in latest College Sports Wire NFL mock draft

Oklahoma Sooners offensive tackle Tyler Guyton heading west in latest 2024 NFL Mock Draft.

[autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag]’s transition from defensive line to offensive tackle to Oklahoma to potential first round draft pick makes for quite the story.

As we inch closer to the 2024 NFL draft, that story becomes a greater likelihood. Guyton put in the work to go from the raw, athletic offensive lineman that he was when he arrived in Norman to a player that will hear his name called sometime in the first round.

In College Sports Wire’s latest NFL mock draft, Guyton was selected No. 31 overall by the San Francisco 49ers, joining former Sooners great [autotag]Trent Williams[/autotag].

The 49ers have a massive hole at right tackle and also would be advised to potentially get some insurance for Trent Williams who is getting older. Guyton isn’t the ready made option up front but does offer massive upside. There might be some patience required but it could be a big payoff long term.  – Roberts, College Sports Wire

Much of the Niners’ success can be attributed to the work they’ve done building their offensive line and running game. Guyton would slide in at right tackle and have a fantastic mentor as he begins his journey at the NFL level.

When Guyton goes in the first round, he’ll be the second straight offensive tackle taken in the first round, following [autotag]Anton Harrison[/autotag]. Harrison was taken in the first by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2023 NFL draft.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

Doug Pederson ‘really feels comfortable’ with current offensive linemen

Yes, it’s lying season, but it sure doesn’t sound like the Jaguars are planning to make big changes to their offensive line.

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ offensive line was one of the worst in the NFL during the 2023 season. It struggled to protect Trevor Lawrence despite rarely facing blitzes and allowed Travis Etienne to be stuffed for no gain at a league-high rate.

But Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson doesn’t seem too concerned about finding replacements up front.

“Cam [Robinson] missed eight games last year, our left guard was a little bit of an injury revolving door type thing, Luke Fortner at center, Brandon Scherff, and then Anton [Harrison], the rookie, was learning every week and played every game for us,” Pederson said during an NFL Network appearance during the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine.

“We really feel comfortable with the guys we have there, we just have to get back to what they do best. To me, that’s kind of simplifying, put it on their shoulders, but at the same time, as coaches, putting them in position to just go out and execute.”

Earlier in the week, Pederson noted that continuity was a big issue for the line too.

“If you think about it, Cam, Ezra [Cleveland], Luke, Brandon and [Anton Harrison] played one game together,” Pederson said. “We didn’t have consistency; we didn’t have continuity. That affects five guys up front. That’s what we have to get back to, we have to get back to a little bit more consistency there.”

Should Pederson be taking at face value? Maybe not. There’s little incentive for the coach to throw his linemen under the bus in late February when there’s still plenty of offseason to sort out changes on the roster.

Yet, Jaguars brass has also had no issue with underlining cornerback as a spot on the roster that needs work.

Trent Baalke told reporters he expects Cam Robinson to stay on the roster, he’s in negotiations to bring Ezra Cleveland back, and the Jaguars appear to be in no rush to part with Scherff either.

It seems Fortner is the Jaguars offensive lineman most in danger of being replaced, but wholesale changes up and down the line are looking increasingly unlikely.

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Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton joins former Sooners in Mel Kiper’s 2024 NFL mock draft

In his first Mock Draft for the 2024 NFL Draft, ESPN’s Mel Kiper sends Tyler Guyton to join former Oklahoma star.

The 2024 NFL draft is just a few months away. Prospects have begun training for their individual workouts, and the NFL scouting combine. The highest-rated prospect for the Oklahoma Sooners this draft cycle is offensive tackle [autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag].

Guyton has a chance to be selected in the first round this April. In Mel Kiper’s first mock draft for ESPN (ESPN+) on the 2024 NFL draft, he has Guyton joining former Oklahoma Sooners [autotag]Kyler Murray[/autotag], [autotag]Marquise Brown[/autotag], and [autotag]Marquis Hayes[/autotag] in Arizona.

We’re finally back to Arizona, which almost certainly thought this pick would be much higher when it made the trade with Houston last April. I gave the Cardinals a WR1 at No. 4 overall, and this pick could be a way to solidify their bookends, as they drafted Paris Johnson Jr. at No. 6 a year ago. Johnson spent his rookie season on the right side, but he’s suited to play left tackle, as that’s where he played his final season at Ohio State. Guyton, however, spent almost all of his time at right tackle for the Sooners; he allowed zero sacks in 2023.

As I wrote in my scouting report on Guyton, NFL teams will covet his physical tools, even though he started just 15 games in college. – Kiper, ESPN

Kiper’s doing what he can to provide Kyler Murray with the tools to take the next step in his career with the Arizona Cardinals. Providing Murray with Marvin Harrison Jr. at No. 4 overall gives the Cardinals another fantastic wide receiver threat that can do it all. Guyton to Arizona gives Murray an ascending tackle who excels as a pass protector.

Guyton would be the second Sooner in as many drafts to be selected in the first round, following [autotag]Anton Harrison[/autotag]’s selection by the Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 27 overall last year.

It would be quite the feather in the cap for offensive line coach [autotag]Bill Bedenbaugh[/autotag]. [autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag] started his career as a defensive lineman before switching to tight end at TCU and then offensive tackle. When he arrived in Norman, he was a raw but superb athlete who transformed into a starting offensive tackle for one of the nation’s best offenses.

Any concern about Bedenbaugh’s ability to recruit and develop is unmerited as he continues to help offensive linemen find their way to the NFL.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Report: Jaguars OT Anton Harrison underwent shoulder surgery

Anton Harrison recently underwent surgery to repair a shoulder injury that he played with his entire rookie year.

Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Anton Harrison underwent shoulder surgery shortly after his rookie season ended, according to a report from Demetrius Harvey of the Florida Times-Union.

Harrison, who turns 22 in February, missed time in training camp due to the shoulder injury, but never missed a game during the 2023 season. He played 1,113 offensive snaps — second most on the team behind only center Luke Fortner — and played another 71 snaps on special teams.

On Tuesday, a tweet from a real estate agent who helped Harrison buy a home showed the offensive tackle wearing a sling around his right arm.

During his rookie year, Harrison was credited by Pro Football Focus with allowing five sacks and 27 total pressures.

“Anton, heck of a season,” Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said. “He played hurt and banged up and we’ve talked about it in here, he had an edge rusher every week, just about. He held up really well. I know our guys talking about him know that he’s going to be a great player. That’s one we’re excited about.”

Harrison was the No. 27 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft where he was the fifth offensive lineman picked.

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Rookie OT Anton Harrison finding his swagger, says Brandon Scherff

Brandon Scherff says it’s been fun seeing Anton Harrison settle in and play with more swagger.

The Jacksonville Jaguars asked rookie offensive tackle Anton Harrison to grow up fast in 2023. The first-round pick was anointed the starting right tackle essentially the second he stepped off the plane in Jacksonville and has faced a gauntlet of pass rushers, including the Chiefs’ Chris Jones and Steelers’ T.J. Watt.

Now more than three months into his NFL career, the growth of Harrison is evident.

“He’s communicating a lot more, the first couple of games he was quiet,” Jaguars veteran guard Brandon Scherff said Monday. “He’s playing a lot more physical, he’s playing with a lot more swagger, so it’s fun to see him knocking people on their butt and celebrate.

“He’s got really good feet, he’s really long and he’s only 21 years old which is absolutely crazy that I’m 10 years older than him. But he’s got a bright future and I’m excited to be able to play next to him.”

Harrison was credited by Pro Football Focus with allowing three sacks in the first two weeks and five before the Jaguars’ Week 9 bye. In the last five weeks, he hasn’t allowed a sack and the last hit he allowed was in the team’s Week 10 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

“There’s no breaks in this league,” Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said last week. “We’ve faced great pass rushers on either side of the line, so I think that helps that Anton knows he’s been through these types of situations.”

That’s good because Harrison will have another tall test Sunday night when the Baltimore Ravens come to Jacksonville. No team has more sacks through the first 14 weeks with Justin Madubuike (11) and Jadeveon Clowney (7.5) leading the way.

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5 Jaguars players to watch vs. the Browns in Week 14

Who will you be watching closely when the injury-riddled Jaguars take on the Browns?

The Jacksonville Jaguars are coming off a disappointing overtime loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football. Now, they’ll have the chance to rebound versus a floundering Cleveland Browns team.

The Browns have taken a step back since quarterback Deshaun Watson suffered a season-ending injury. And backups Joe Flacco and Dorian Thompson-Robinson haven’t been enough to keep Cleveland on a winning track.

While the Jaguars’ loss to the Bengals didn’t uproot their season, starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s injury threatened to do so. Jacksonville will need to prepare for the possibility that Lawrence will miss a game for the first time of his career.

Here are five Jaguars players to watch when they take on the Browns in Week 14:

Anton Harrison on costly holding: ‘Got to put myself in better position’

Anton Harrison took responsibility for the penalty that nullified the play that could’ve won the game for the Jaguars.

It looked for a second like C.J. Beathard saved the day Monday night. Facing a third down in overtime around midfield, the Jacksonville Jaguars’ backup quarterback rolled to his right and heaved a ball downfield to Calvin Ridley who hauled in a 43-yard grab on the Cincinnati Bengals’ 2-yard line.

The crowd went wild … until they saw the yellow flag near the line of scrimmage. A holding penalty on rookie right tackle Anton Harrison nullified the play and led to a punt two plays later.

On ESPN2’s ManningCast, former NFL quarterback Eli Manning argued that the Bengals’ Sam Hubbard “flopped” to draw the flag, while ex-Bengals receiver Chad Johnson defended the call.

Harrison said his opinion of the penalty doesn’t matter, though.

“The refs are gonna do their job, I’m not gonna agree with everything,” Harrison said in the locker room after the Jaguars’ 34-31 loss. “I just got to try to put myself in a better position. That’s really it. I got to put myself in a better position to make that block.”

Harrison has done well to avoid penalties during his rookie season. The costly holding penalty was the fifth flag thrown on the first-round pick this season and the third for holding. Veterans Walker Little and Brandon Scherff have drawn six and five, respectively.

The right tackle that Harrison replaced, Jawann Taylor, has drawn a league-high 16 flags in his first season with the Kansas City Chiefs.

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