Anton Harrison, OT Oklahoma: 2023 NFL Draft Profile
Harrison was a four-star recruit from Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C. in the class of 2020
Oklahoma Sooners junior left tackle Anton Harrison isn’t a consensus first round selection, but he’s more than worthy of a top-31 pick. Harrison is one of the best athletes along the offensive line in the 2023 NFL Draft.
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Anton Harrison, OT Oklahoma: 2023 NFL Draft Profile
Background: Harrison was a four-star recruit from Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C. in the class of 2020. He was the No. 178 recruit according to 247Sports, No. 166 for Rivals, and No. 221 for On3.com. ESPN ranked him 158th in the nation with an 83 grade out of 100. Harrison committed to the Sooners over offers from Boston College, Florida State, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Penn State, Texas A&M, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and other Power 5 programs. He was an Under Armour All-American.
2021 Production: 13 games, 2 sacks allowed, 6 penalties committed
2020 Production: 9 games, 1 sack allowed, 1 penalty committed
Injuries & Off-Field: Exited the game against TCU (2022) with an injury
Awards: 2022 First-Team All-Big 12
Pros: Gained some right tackle experience in 2022, athleticism and footwork to climb to the second level, smooth kick slide with good knee bend, light feet, base remains consistently stout and wide throughout reps in pass pro, plays under control with ideal balance, thick throughout frame, frames blocks extremely well, awareness and patience to pass off stunts, easy mover, athleticism to mirror rushers and land blocks in space, finishes players to the ground who try to turn his outside shoulder, oscillates to land hits on multiple defenders in the run game, displays a powerful anchor and core, lower body fluidity, maintains excellent leverage, hits landmarks in pass pro with ease, generates push at the point of attack, seals defenders inside on outside runs, catches spin moves, absorbs and deadens power rushes, closing burst to second level defenders, climbs with proper angles, guides pass rushers upfield and around the pocket
Cons: Eight penalties committed in 2022 plus six in 2021, carries hands a little low, leans on defenders in the run game, acceptable but not elite length, clamp strength to sustain is inconsistent, hand placement gets high at times and is inconsistent, sometimes ducks his head into contact as a run blocker, allows defenders into his chest, pass rushers frequently separate and redirect to the ball, defenders can clamp and pull him off balance, punches need to be more stiff, Kansas State (2022) defenders had some success working back to his inside shoulder, room to increase footwork precision, looks lost in space at times
Overview: Harrison is unofficially listed at 6'5", 315 lbs. He allowed pressure on 4.45% of his pass blocking snaps in 2021 and 2.01% in 2022. Harrison has played left tackle almost exclusively during his college career, although he started one game at right tackle in 2022. The junior is a smooth mover with light feet and a fluid lower half. He has a smooth kick slide with good knee bend, and his base remains stout and wide throughout reps in pass protection. Harrison plays under control with ideal balance. He has the athleticism to mirror rushers in pass protection and hit his landmarks with ease. Harrison frames blocks extremely well and plays with good leverage. He displays the awareness and patience to pass off stunts and catch pass rush counters. When possible, Harrison guides pass rushers upfield and around the pocket. He is thick throughout his frame and displays excellent core strength with a powerful anchor. Harrison absorbs and deadens power rushes and finishes players to the ground who try to turn his outside shoulder. He has the athleticism and footwork to climb to the second level and land blocks. Harrison takes proper angles as a climbing blocker and has the burst to reach defenders in a hurry. He generates significant push at the point of attack and occasionally finishes defenders to the ground this way. Penalties remain a concern with the Washington, D.C. product. He’s been flagged eight times this season and 14 times over the past two years. Harrison carries his hands a little low and has acceptable but not elite length. His clamp strength is inconsistent as defenders gain separation and redirect to the football. Improved hand placement and consistent striking will help Harrison hold his blocks longer. There are moments when Harrison looks lost in space as a run blocker and unsure how to help the play. He’s guilty of leaning on defenders in the run game and sometimes ducks his head into contact. The former four-star recruit allows defenders into his chest and can be pulled off balance. Kansas State (2022) defenders had some success working back to his inside shoulder. Harrison’s footwork is acceptable and above average in the 2023 draft class, but there’s room to increase his precision and timing.
Overall, Harrison is one of the most athletically gifted offensive linemen in the 2023 NFL Draft and should be in consideration for a late first round selection. His ability to mirror edge rushers means teams can trust him to operate on an island. Harrison’s movement skills and light feet make him an ideal fit for an outside zone scheme.
Role & Scheme Fit: Left tackle in an outside zone scheme
Round Projection: Late First to Mid Second
Player Comparison: N/A
Submitted: 12-11-22