Annually, a brand new crop of gamers rises to the ranks of the elite at their respective positions. Over the following few days, we’ll be highlighting these gamers who’re up subsequent within the NFL hierarchy, and are candidates for a breakout season in 2024.
With NFL move rushers getting higher on either side of the road, the appropriate deal with can now not be a weak level. Groups are inserting a excessive precedence on the appropriate facet of their line, even switching the elite athletes popping out of school as left tackles over to the appropriate and trusting of their growth. Detroit Lions’ supernova Penei Sewell is the very best instance of this, however down in Jacksonville, Anton Harrison is making his case to be the following breakout star at proper deal with.
In his rookie season with Jacksonville, not solely did Harrison step in instantly, beginning all 17 video games, however performed at a really excessive degree. During the last 9 video games of the season, the No. 27 total choose didn’t enable a single sack, and in line with Daniel Griffis of Jaguar Report, his stress charge of three.85 p.c was ninth amongst all tackles per Professional Soccer Focus.
Harrison stepped into the league and confirmed his polish as a move blocker, and whereas the remainder of the Jaguars offensive line struggled at occasions, Harrison shined in true move units.
When you may not be capable of see his title too clearly on right here, Harrison is precisely the place you need him to be on this graph as a rookie move protector. His means to win in true passing units is such a great chip to have for this Jaguars’ offense.
Offensive Tackles in true move units, Sewell/Wirfs . Dropping Brady (bought ball out quick) whereas transferring to the left facet is an enormous transition and Wirfs bought it executed. pic.twitter.com/YwnIESvQTq
— Soccer Insights (@fball_insights) June 22, 2024
Harrison has such a fast leap out of his stance that it offers him extra time to anchor and use his athletic instruments to close down most energy rushes out on the sting. On this rep, he offers up a little bit of floor to this rush with energy, however is solely ready to make use of his higher physique power to utterly shut down the transfer earlier than it will get hectic.
I believe the factor that stands out essentially the most about Harrison is how affected person he’s in his move units. For a rookie proper deal with, he’s not often each caught in a state of affairs the place he’s lunging or panicking. His means to have fast reactions and faster arms to close down opposing move rushers is absolutely spectacular for a man who’s simply 22 years previous. One in all his standout video games got here in week 12 towards Defensive Rookie of the 12 months Will Anderson Jr. and the Houston Texans. Harrison didn’t enable a stress within the Jaguars’ victory, and placed on a move safety clinic. Harrison has actually robust arms within the passing sport and is such a great mirror athlete that he’s in a position to sluggish this move rush earlier than it even begins. That means to remain composed after which end as a move blocker may be very superior for a man his age, transferring from left to proper deal with.
Not solely does his endurance present up towards energy, however towards pace he’s in a position to redirect arms and by no means discover himself out of place. Watch this subsequent rep towards Anderson. Anderson goes to cut Harrison’s arms down, however Harrison removes his arms and leaves Anderson swiping at air. Then he replaces and walks him away from the QB, a extremely spectacular rep to have below your belt, in a season stuffed with these form of reps within the passing sport.
As a run blocker, Harrison leaves a bit extra to be desired. He’s nonetheless a bit extra upright as a run blocker on the level of assault, leaving him inclined to being uprooted by defensive linemen. On the frontside of this run Harrison doesn’t deliver his inside hand, leaving him unavailable to totally get his arms on this defender who makes the play within the backfield.
Whereas that will not be his robust swimsuit as a run blocker, he’s significantly better in area on the Jaguars’ pin and pull ideas. He’s an excellent athlete who has good spatial consciousness, selecting off unsuspecting second and third degree defenders alongside the way in which. Harrison has fast toes (as proven in his means as a move blocker) and a significantly better means to strike within the run sport in area on smaller guys. The Jaguars used this pin and pull motion rather a lot with Harrison, and he was actually good at it as nicely.
Harrison has an especially shiny future on this league. With the Jaguars retaining continuity to his left with guard Brandon Scherff coming again and offensive line coach Phil Rauscher being retained, Harrison has the prospect to interrupt out and put his title among the many prime proper tackles within the league subsequent 12 months. With the entire offseason strikes Jacksonville has made, they appear to be trending in direction of extra downfield targets, which place a heavier significance on offensive line play. With the continuity within the offensive line room and among the many offensive braintrust, Harrison has breakout potential for 2024.
