Tag: Zach Harrison

Seahawks pick Washington OT, Ohio State EDGE in new 2022 NFL mock draft

In a new three-round mock by our friends at Draft Wire, the Seahawks hit the trenches with each of their first two picks.

The Seattle Seahawks don’t have the luxury of a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft. That means their picks on Day 2 and Day 3 are that much more important for a franchise trying to rebound from its first losing season in a decade.

While the 2021 campaign hasn’t gone according to plan, Seattle still has a strong nucleus to continue building around. Assuming the front office doesn’t plan to blow the whole thing up and start over with a fresh slate next season, the best way to improve this roster will be to upgrade at several positions along both sides of the line of scrimmage.

In a new three-round mock by our friends at Draft Wire, the Seahawks hit the trenches with each of their first two picks.

In the second round at pick No. 41 overall, Seattle took Washington OT Jaxson Kirkland. After five years with the Huskies, Kirkland (6-foot-7, 310 pounds) will be making the jump to the pros.

Kirkland is agile for his size and has two years of experience right guard plus two more as a left tackle. That versatility could be valuable given the age of current starters Duane Brown (36 and a pending free agent) and Gabe Jackson (30).

Boosting Seattle’s pass rush should be another obvious move for a defense that struggles getting off the field.

In round three of the mock (pick No. 72 overall) the Seahawks selected Ohio State EDGE Zach Harrison (6-foot-6, 268 pounds).

Harrison has played 27 games with the Buckeyes, posting 7.5 sacks and 16 tackles for a loss.

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Draft Wire includes three Ohio State football players in first round 2022 NFL mock draft

Do you agree with these three Buckeyes potentially going in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft? #GoBucks

The 2022 NFL draft is still over seven months away, but the business of mocking these things up continues to be a year-round exercise and a fun, speculative one at that.

And if we’re talking about an NFL draft in almost any year, then we’re discussing some Ohio State football players being squarely in the mix. OSU puts out about as many NFL widgets as any other football factory out there.

If you don’t already, we recommend you follow one of our sister sites, “Draft Wire,” because they are always on top of keeping you informed of all things NFL draft-related through all four seasons and rotations of the Earth.

As luck would have it, Luke Easterling just recently released his latest way-too-early look at the first round of the upcoming draft and has three Ohio State players going in the first 32 picks.

Who are they, and what does he say about each?

NEXT … A wide receiver we all know and love

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Ohio State grades out 22 players as champions after Minnesota win

All told, 22 players graded out as Champions after the game against Minnesota.

Each week, the Ohio State coaching staff grades the performance of players, with the coveted tag of “Champion” being what everyone aims for. After last week, a whopping 22 players were graded out at the highest level, led by all five starters on the offensive line.

Chris Olav and Miyan Williams received Champion status as co-offensive Players of the Week, as did Zach Harrison with the same accolade on the defensive side. Not to be forgotten, Mitch Rossi garnered Special Teams Player of the Week.

In addition to those four, the following players all graded out as Champions according to a release from the Ohio State Department of Athletics.

NEXT … All 22 graded Champions for the Minnesota game

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Ohio State names Players of the Game for win against Minnesota

Players of the Game against Minnesota! What was your favorite play?

It was a little scary for a while Thursday night, but Ohio State found itself and was able to pull away in the second half thanks to a number of big plays that provided enough breathing room to win in Minneapolis.

As always, the Ohio State coaching staff identified its Players of the Game after going through the game film and talking things over, and in each case, big plays had a lot to do with it.

The two Offensive Players of the Game were running back Miyan Williams and receiver Chris Olave. Williams opened the scoring with a 71-yard touchdown run on the first drive and finished the game with 125 yards on nine rushing attempts.

Olave had himself a day as well. He caught four passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns, two of them the big play variety where he showed off his smooth route running and elite speed.

On the defensive side of the ball, defensive end Zach Harrison took home Player of the Game honors. We all remember his strip of Minnesota quarterback Tanner Morgan that led to a Haskell Garrett touchdown, but he also found himself in the backfield often and had a lot more impact than the three tackles the stat sheet says.

Lastly, the Special Teams Player of the Game was handed out to tight end Mitch Rossi for his work in that area of the contest.

With the win, Ohio State has now won 22-straight season openers, the best in all of college football. The Buckeyes now turn their attention to Oregon, who will take flight into the ‘Shoe next Saturday.

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Ohio State’s top prospects score big in 45-31 win vs. Minnesota

Led by some of the top prospects in the 2022 NFL draft class, Ohio State started their season with a 45-31 win over Minnesota

The Ohio State Buckeyes kicked off their 2021 season with a critical conference win, pulling away from the Minnesota Golden Gophers for a 45-31 win on the road Thursday night.

As usual, OSU is loaded with some of the top prospects in next year’s draft class, and they all made their mark in this game.

Wide receiver Chris Olave needed just four receptions to rack up 117 yards and two touchdowns through the air, averaging nearly 30 yards per catch, while fellow pass-catcher Garrett Wilson hauled in four passes for 80 yards and a score.

On defense, Zach Harrison’s impressive night was highlighted by a strip-sack that was scooped up by Haskell Garrett and taken to the house.

All four of those names could end up being called in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft, and they’ve all got their draft stock going in the right direction after a strong season opener.

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WATCH: Zach Harrison’s mom gets captain reveal phone call for her son

Harrison’s mom seemed to want to make sure he knew what a responsibility being voted captain is. Love it.

We’ve been following some of the phone calls to Ohio State football parents, informing them that their sons were voted captains for the 2021 season. First, we shared the phone call to Thayer Munford’s mom, then an emotional reaction by Teradja Mitchell’s dad, and now this one.

Zach Harrison is from the Columbus area, so he and his mom no doubt know how important it is to be voted captain at THE Ohio State University. He’s one of only six this season, and he should be poised for a breakout campaign in 2021.

We always say it, but being a captain at OSU can never be taken away, and it opens the doors for other opportunities down the road to congregate and come back to the university to be recognized.

Watch and listen to Harrison’s mother get the phone call from assistant coach Larry Johnson, revealing that he will be a leader on the team this season. We especially love the response about what a responsibility it is. Always a mom.

Remember, Harrison was a five-star prospect that shunned Michigan to come to Ohio State and was expected to be the next great pass rusher off the edge in Columbus. Could this be the year he puts it all together?

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Ohio State announces six captains for this fall

Ohio State announced its six team captains for the 202 football season on Friday evening.

Being a captain of a historical program like Ohio State is something nobody can ever take away from you. It sets you apart and allows for special things like the captains’ dinner and place among a select few to ever run through the tunnel on the banks of the Olentangy.

The Buckeyes lost all of their seasoned captains from last season and announced six new captains for this fall on Friday evening. These six will hopefully lead the team towards a fifth-straight Big Ten championship run and potential appearance in another College Football Playoff.

Having all new captains snaps a streak of seven consecutive seasons in which there was at least one returning. It’s also the fewest number of captains since the 2015 team. All renditions of The Ohio State Buckeyes have had at least seven named since then. However, just because it’s six new captains doesn’t mean the lot is all a bunch of inexperienced players, far from it.

Here are your six captains of the Ohio State football team in 2021.

The Big Ten’s top five defensive ends heading into 2021

How many #Buckeyes will make this top five?

The college football season — and with it, some Ohio State football — kicks off in less than a month, and we have been rolling through the best of the Big Ten at each position. We have already completed our list of top five quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, offensive tackles, guards, and centers.

The Ohio State Buckeyes have arguably the most talented defensive line in all of college football and they have insane depth at the defensive end position. Below we are going to rank the top five defensive ends in the Big Ten and the player or players listed from Ohio State may surprise you.

As always, keep in mind that it’s early in the season and there can be break-out players, injuries, and disappointments, so don’t get too upset with any of this.

Three Ohio State players named to the Preseason Nagurski Trophy watch list

Another watch list means some more Buckeyes on it.

The Football Writers’Association of America announced a couple of preseason watch lists on Wednesday, and both had a trio of Ohio State players included. We already told you about the Outland Trophy, but Sevyn Banks, Haskell Garrett, and Zach Harrison are another trio that appeared on the 2021 Preseason Bronko Nagurski watch list. Garrett was named to both watch lists.

The Nagurski Trophy was first awarded in 1993 and goes to the player judged to be the best defender in college football annually. The winner will be chosen from five finalists and honored at an awards banquet on Dec. 6 at the Charlotte (N.C.) Convention Center.

Sevyn Banks is expected to be Ohio State’s No. 1 cornerback in 2021 as true senior. He’s got the athletic ability and experience to develop into one of the best in the country this fall. He has already appeared on several preseason All-American teams.

Everyone is anticipating the player that defensive end Zach Harrison can be this fall. A former 5-star commit, he has the length, body, and fast-twitch ability to be the next game-wrecker off the edge. He has yet to fully put it all together, but it’s often a player’s junior year that is the break-out one. He too has been picked by many to make a significant splash this fall.

Garrett decided to come back for one more season instead of entering the 2021 NFL draft. His story is an amazing one after somehow recovering from a gunshot wound to the face in time for the 2020 season. Simply being in the lineup wasn’t what he had in mind. Instead, Garrett turned into one of the best interior defensive linemen in the Big Ten and has also received multiple preseason accolades heading into this year.

OSU has had two players win the Nagurski. Linebacker James Laurinaitis took it home in 2006, followed by defensive end Chase Young in 2019.

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Haskell Garrett and Zach Harrison on preseason Bednarik award watch list

Both Haskell Garrett and Zach Harrison appear on the preseason Bednarik watch list. The award has been around since 1995 and is handed out to the best defensive player annually by @MawellFootball.

There were a couple of presason college football watch lists that were released on Monday, and both have a pair of Ohio State players on them. Not only did receivers Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave make the preseason Maxwell Award watch list, but on the defensive side of the ball, defensive lineman Haskell Garrett and Zach Harrison have been announced as players to watch for the Bednarik Award.

Like the Maxwell Award, the Bednarik is also awarded by the Maxwell Football Club annually, but to the player judged to be the best defensive player in college football. It has been handed out since 1995, with just one Ohio State player taking the prize home when defensive end Chase Young did so in 2019.

To get a look at the rest of the names appearing on the Bednarik watch list, you can scope out the list below.

With both Garrett and Harrison on the defensive line, Ohio State should be able to create havoc with opponents running game and get some significant pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

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