Tag: Zach Harrison

Pre-combine EDGE rankings: Bend is the pathway to pressures in the NFL

As the combine approaches, who are the top 10 pass rushers to watch?

As the Cleveland Browns look to improve their defensive line, they will also look to get a long-term running mate to bookend that unit with Myles Garrett. While Alex Wright is just a third rounder from a year ago, they cannot go into the 2023 season banking on a massive leap from him. As we get further into the 2023 NFL Draft process, with the NFL Scouting Combine next week, it is time to release a new batch of rankings.

A bit about my process, the guys who win in the league and gather constant pressure all have one thing in common: they can win along the outside shoulder and flatten their path to the quarterback with bend. According to PFF, the players with the most pressures in 2022 were Micah Parsons, Nick Bosa, Haason Reddick, Maxx Crosby, Za’Darius Smith, Jaelan Phillips, Josh Allen, Danielle Hunter, Trey Hendrickson, and Myles Garrett.

What is one thing all of these players (with Smith being the lone outlier) have in common? They possess flexible hips and the ability to take the outside shoulder at will with bend. My rankings will look much different from the consensus as this is something I weigh heavily because the path to success with this trait is evident.

Here are my top ten pass rushers as the Browns prepare to gather more in Indianapolis next week.

Yahoo Sports has five Ohio State players projected to be selected in NFL draft’s first round

A handful of Buckeye 1st rounders?!? #GoBucks

The majority of NFL mock drafts have at least three Ohio State Buckeyes being selected in the first round. Those three are normally quarterback [autotag]C.J. Stroud[/autotag], offensive tackle [autotag]Paris Johnson Jr.[/autotag] and wide receiver [autotag]Jaxon Smith-Njigba[/autotag].

While other OSU standouts, such as defensive end [autotag]Zach Harrison[/autotag], expect to hear their name called, those choices aren’t on the first day.

Yahoo Sports thinks there might be a couple more Buckeyes that get selected in the first round according to their latest mock draft. Charles McDonald has five OSU players getting selected in the first round. Find out who they are and where McDonald thinks they’ll land below.

Unpacking Future Packers: No. 65, Ohio State Edge Zach Harrison

Up next in the Unpacking Future Packers draft preview series is Ohio State edge rusher Zach Harrison.

The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects that could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2023 NFL draft.

The Green Packers finished this past season with just 256 pressures, which ranked 26th in the league (PFF). On top of their nonexistent pass rush, Green Bay’s defense yielded 2,372 yards on the ground, which ranked 26th overall. They gave up five yards per carry, which was tied for 29th in the league. 

Add it all up and the Packers need to beef up their front seven this offseason. A player that could help bolster Green Bay’s pass rush and improve against the run is Zach Harrison. The Ohio State edge rusher checks in at No. 65 in the Unpacking Future Packers countdown.

A five-star recruit, Harrison recorded 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks during the 2019 season. In 2020, Harrison recorded 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. During the 2021 campaign, Harrison recorded six tackles for loss and two sacks.

This past season Harrison recorded eight tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, one interception, four pass deflections, and forced three fumbles. 

“Harrison was a versatile and reliable chess piece for Ohio State as they moved him around to a variety of roles throughout his career and he thrived at each one,” Joshua Keatley, a contributor for BuckeyesWire said. “He was not an All-American level player, but he was a consistent, reliable, and a high-effort difference-maker.”

At 6-6, 266 pounds, with long arms Harrison looks like an NFL edge rusher. He’s a physical presence on the edge and has all the tools that NFL teams are looking for in edge rushers.

“Harrison’s greatest strength is that he looks like the prototypical defensive end,” Keatley said. “The dude looks like he was built in a lab at 6’6” and 272 pounds and has the frame to add even more weight. He has the ideal length you look for in an NFL edge rusher.”

With his long arms and strength, he has a devastating bull rush to drive offensive tackles backwards. He has strong, heavy hands that he uses to knock down the reach of offensive tackles. The former five-star recruit uses a long-arm move to help him convert speed to power. According to Pro Football Focus, Harrison led the Buckeyes with 33 pressures this past season. This past season he recorded two strip sacks.

“Harrison is a consistent player who doesn’t take snaps off,” Keatley said. “Mix that with his power and strength and you have a recipe for a guy who is just going to wear down offensive linemen.”

Harrison doesn’t get knocked off balance and is able to anchor down at the point of attack to set the edge. He has strong hands to knock offensive tackles off-balance. The Buckeye defender has the pursuit speed to chase down ball carriers from the backside. 

“Harrison is an extremely strong player who can anchor down and utilizes his hands well,” Keatley said. “Harrison may be better against the run than the pass in all honesty. He is strong and long enough to control blockers and manage his gap responsibilities.”

Fit with the Packers

Rashan Gary may miss the beginning of the upcoming season as he recovers from a torn ACL. Preston Smith will be another year older. Kingsley Enagbare has a place in the rotation and could play a pivotal role in a pinch. 

Brian Gutekunst needs to add an edge rusher or two as they search for Gary’s long-term running mate. 

Harrison has all the tools in the shed to develop into a force off the edge. If the Packers don’t add an edge rusher in the first round, the Ohio State product could be a target on day two of the draft for Gutekunst.

“Harrison checks a lot of boxes,” Keatley said. “From his size and speed to his ability to shed blocks. If it weren’t for his lack of production in Columbus, he likely would have been the first round conversation.”

At some point in the upcoming season, Gary will be back in the starting lineup. It’s not out of the question that he could be ready for the start of the season. With Gary healthy and Smith still on the roster, Green Bay has its two starting edge rushers.

Fast forward a season and Smith may not be on the roster and Gary will need a new running mate. With his blend of size and strength, Harrison could be the ideal candidate to replace Smith. 

Zach Harrison with interesting landing spot according to one NFL mock draft

@nate_atkins3 of Bears Wire mocks Zach Harrison to Chicago #GoBucks

Our lovely friends over at Bears Wire are putting in work this off-season in preparation for the 2023 NFL draft and one of our favorite NFL draft experts is Nate Atkins who recently published his full seven-round Chicago Bears mock draft.

Mr. Atkins has Chicago snagging Jalen Carter from Georgia in the first round, Dalton Kincaid from Utah in the second round, John Michael-Schmitz from Minnesota also in the second round, and finally former Ohio State star, Zach Harrison, with the No. 72 overall selection in the third round.

Our boy Nate notes the following:

“Harrison was a five-star prospect coming out of high school due to his prototypical size at 6-foot, 5-inches, 250 pounds. Many think he underachieved because of his low sack total (12 in four years), but he’s strong against the run and gets his hands in the passing lanes, making it hard for quarterbacks to throw.

He’s an athletic freak, expected to run 4.5 or better in the 40-yard dash with a vertical jump near 40″. If he’s available in the third round, he’s a massive addition to the Bears’ needy defensive line.”

I can tell you with 100% certainty that Nate Atkins is no Buckeye fan and if he has positive things to say about an Ohio State alum, he must mean it. Atkins knows a few things about pass rushers, considering he was also a division one defensive lineman.

We’re getting closer and closer to the draft, and we’ll continue to take a look around to see what some of the mocks say about Ohio State players.

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Eight Ohio State players invited to this year’s NFL scouting combine

C.J. Stroud leads eight Buckeyes invited to the NFL Combine. #GoBucks

The Ohio State football program is an NFL factory second to none in college football, and that’s about to be realized again.

That’s because it’s about the time of year when we start to hype the upcoming NFL draft more than usual. The Super Bowl is just a few days away, and after that, it’ll be all draft all the time if you’re an NFL fan.

Part of the shenanigans includes the annual NFL scouting combine that takes place in Indianapolis. Some of the so-called shoo-in draftees will be poked, prodded and measured through various interviews and skills assessments to provide a better look to NFL scouts and executives.

There is always a significant contingent of Ohio State players that take part in all the hoopla, and that’s the case again. This year, eight Buckeyes will head to Lucas Oil Stadium from Thursday, March 2, through Sunday, March 5.

Here’s a look at all eight players and a brief outlook on each.

Vikings 2023 7 Round NFL Mock Draft 3.0: Man coverage cornerback

The Vikings stay home at all five picks in the latest seven-round Vikings mock draft

The Minnesota Vikings have a lot of different ways they can go in the NFL draft. There will be some discussion on what needs are most important but the Vikings can address most of them through both free agency and the NFL draft.

In the first mock draft that we did, the Vikings took a cornerback at 23rd overall and took a wide receiver in the second with a trade down. This one, we stayed at each pick and took good players that filled needs.

Predicting where Ohio State players will land in NFL draft

Predicting where Ohio State players will land in NFL Draft #GoBucks #NFLDraft

The only NFL game remaining is the Super Bowl. That means 30 of the 32 teams in the league are focusing on the NFL draft and how to build for their futures. Now the NFL draft may not mean much to your average college football fan, but Ohio State fans love paying attention to former alumni and cheering them on in the big league.

The Buckeye program has a strong pipeline to the NFL. Even if you sit on the bench during your time at Ohio State, you are still likely to get a shot in the NFL, because of the prestige of the program. Realistically there are eight legit NFL prospects coming from Ohio State into the league this year, and I wanted to break down where they might get selected.

Los Angeles Chargers three-round 2023 NFL mock draft Thursday 1.0

This is the first installment of three-round mock draft Thursday, where we will be laying out different scenarios on how the first three rounds could play out for the Chargers.

The 2023 NFL draft is still three months away, but we will supply you with in-depth coverage between now and then to inform you who the Chargers could be targeting with they’re on the clock.

With that being said, this will be the first installment of the three-round mock draft Thursday, where I will lay out different scenarios every week on how the first three rounds could play out for Los Angeles.

Vikings 2023 7 Round NFL Mock Draft 2.0: Trade back for a wide receiver

In the latest Vikings 7-round mock draft, they traded back and got a twitchy receiver to bolster the offense

The Minnesota Vikings have a lot of different ways they can go in the NFL draft. There will be some discussion on what needs are most important but the Vikings can address most of them through both free agency and the NFL draft.

In the first mock draft that we did, the Vikings took a cornerback at 23rd overall, but this route had them trading back and looking at going offense with their first pick. Here is the second Vikings mock draft of the season.

Chargers 2023 NFL draft target: Ohio State EDGE Zach Harrison

Putting Ohio State EDGE Zach Harrison under a microscope to highlight his strengths, weaknesses and fit with the Chargers.

Over the next couple of months, we are going to be taking a look at a handful of draft prospects leading up to the 2023 NFL draft.

With the Chargers having needs at various positions, we will do our best to evaluate the players that we feel fit the team precisely.

Today, I take a look at Ohio State edge defender Zach Harrison.

Vitals

Height: 6-6

Weight: 272

College Bio Page

One-Liner

Harrison has an ideal blend of explosiveness, size, length & strength and pass rush upside, and with further coaching and development can become an impact starter, projecting as a defensive end that can occasionally reduce inside to take advantage of mismatches.

Strengths

Very athletic, explosive player…Eats up a lot of grass with his initial step off the ball…Uses his length (35 3/4-inch arms) well to create separation…Can convert speed to power with the pop in his hands to stun linemen off their spot…Has developed a toolbox of counters (swipe/rip) to set up and defeat offensive tackles…Slices to the inside of bigger tackles, works his hands throughout the action…Terrific closing burst to make plays in pursuit…Strong at point of attack against the run…Ability to get his hands into throwing lanes.

Weaknesses

Can be tardy off the ball at times…Doesn’t show much true bend around the edge…Can be too intent to rush up the field and overruns the action…Plays with poor pad level at times, will get out leveraged by blockers.

Red Flags

N/A

Fit Likelihood

High

Grade

1st-2nd

Highlights