Hot Take Tuesday: Anton Harrison is OT1 in the 2023 NFL Draft

NFL Draft Bible's Jack Borowsky explains why the Sooner's offensive lineman will be the first tackle selected in the 2023 draft.

There is an argument to be made that the hardest player to find outside of a franchise quarterback is an elite left tackle. With the type of freak athlete pass rushers coming into the NFL, high-end left tackles are in even higher demand.

This past draft class saw three tackles in the top ten, the most out of any group and five total in the first round. In 2021 and 2020, four and five tackles were drafted in the first round, respectively. This year should be no different, but there isn’t a clear-cut OT1 right now.

The last few OT1s include Ikem Ekwonu, Penei Sewell, and Andrew Thomas, so whoever reaches that status will be in good company. All three of those players are cornerstones on their teams and difference-makers.

To reach the status of being the top tackle in the draft, size, athleticism, length, and consistent tape are necessary. There must be wow plays on film and enough upside that a team thinks they are getting a potential superstar for years to come. In this year’s class, Oklahoma Sooner Anton Harrison is that player.

For starters, he is an unbelievable athlete. Harrison has excellent movement skills and can easily get to his spots. In pass protection, his athleticism showed up every time I turned on his tape. He has incredible foot quickness with great knee bend as well. Speed rushers struggle to do much of anything against Harrison in pass protection.

The length Harrison possesses also shows up on film. Harrison never has to lunge to reach a defender, and he can keep defenders outside of the pocket with his length. His hand placement and understanding of timing his hands also stood out.

The best way to describe Harrison in pass protection is effortless, and that’s exactly what teams want in a franchise left tackle. When going up against the Myles Garrett and Nick Bosa’s of the world, you need to have elite natural tools, which Harrison has.

Harrison shows off power and core strength in the run game to redirect and seal off defenders. Harrison is explosive in the run game and shows impressive grip strength. He has hip flexibility, short-area quickness, and length, allowing him to excel on reach blocks. When Harrison is asked to pull or move in space, he can find defenders and latch onto them, with the ability to finish plays. Harrison is as good as it gets when it comes to blocking on the move.

The biggest thing I wanted to see from Harrison coming into the season was improved processing and reacting skills. He has done a much better job in that regard, and the game has looked a lot slower for him this year. Harrison has been great at handling stunts and twists.

I’ve seen a lot of progression from Harrison dating back to his freshman campaign. The talent to be a top-end prospect was evident back then, but the other aspects necessary to be a coveted tackle prospect are all there now.

Teams are going to be able to check every box with Harrison. He has the experience, excellent tape, length, athleticism and immense upside. Harrison is a top-half of the first-round caliber prospect, and with the right coaching, he could end up in the top tier of NFL left tackles. Harrison has that kind of upside, which is why he is OT1 in the 2023 draft.

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