Prospect Breakdown: Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma

Analyzing an overlooked-but-exciting member of the offensive tackle group available in the 2023 NFL Draft, Anton Harrison.

In recent years, the University of Oklahoma has established itself as a factory for NFL talent on the offensive side of the ball. Various Sooners' stars have gone in the first round, and the program even produced back-to-back first-overall selections in quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray. Further, the team regularly churns out talented offensive linemen. Anton Harrison may end up the next high draft pick from Oklahoma.

A Washington, D.C. native, Harrison was a star two-sport athlete at Archbishop Carroll High School. While he was a member of the varsity basketball team, his best work came on the football field. He was seen as a stellar offensive line recruit and received a four-star rating from 247Sports Composite Rankings. The outlet named him the 178th-best recruit in the nation, the 17th-ranked offensive tackle that year, and the 4th-overall player from Washington, D.C. in his class. Harrison chose to play at Oklahoma over various elite programs, including Florida State, Michigan, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Penn State, Texas A&M, and Wisconsin. The talented lineman was an Under Armour All-American.

An immediate contributor at the University of Oklahoma, Harrison played in nine games at left tackle as a freshman in 2020. He only failed to appear in two games that year: the season opener against Missouri State and the team's late-season matchup with Oklahoma State. On 173 pass-block reps, Harrison gave up just one sack.

The athletic lineman took his game to a new level as a sophomore in 2021, where he played in all 13 games and started 12. Though the Sooners employed a pseudo-rotation at the tackle position, the Washington, D.C. native was the team's primary blindside protector. He enters the 2022 season as one of the projected top linemen in the country.

A crucial piece of the Oklahoma offensive line, Anton Harrison had special flashes in the 2021 season. 

Though it is not a necessary part of a player's draft profile, substantial experience at a high-level point to maturity, athleticism, and relative technical refinement in a player. Anton Harrison played meaningful snaps for the Sooners as a true freshman in a COVID-shortened season before stepping into a consistent starting role as a true sophomore. He has held up and even excelled against NFL prospects.

An underrated, but crucial piece of a prospect's frame and athletic profile is their flexibility. Harrison boasts special flexion in his hips, knees, and ankles. This enhances his agility and change of direction. What's more, it helps him absorb and withstand contact. He has the balance, flexibility, and athleticism to stay in front of defenders even as they land hands on his frame. He even recovers if he is put on his heels.

In addition to his stellar flexibility, Harrison exhibits excellent movement skills that aid him in every aspect of the game. He is a springy and explosive athlete with impressive lateral and linear burst and change of direction ability. He mirrors before and after contact in pass protection and the run game and can stick with linebackers in space. Harrison's movement, balance, and flexibility allow him to recover from poor initial aim or engagement. He stays competitive after losing to hand counters. His fluid hips help him hinge quickly to mirror or handle complex assignments as a run blocker.

More than just a nimble mover for his size, the Oklahoma standout displays intriguing strength. When his technique is sound, he has a rock-solid anchor - even against NFL prospects - and notable power output. Harrison's reactive power improved throughout the 2021 season. Moreover, he can and does displace opponents with his initial punch before moving them. He employs persistent leg drive and can use defenders' momentum to his advantage. Harrison has the strength and length to bench press and establish distance against opposing players.

While an athlete of Harrison's caliber can win at the college level without high-level technique, the Washington, D.C. native is a fairly advanced and nuanced player. He typically attacks with fast, straight punches that are low and inside to win leverage. He resets his hands quickly. Harrison practices subtle-but-efficient hand fighting with proper timing. He uses clean trap and forklift counters. He is also patient, avoiding overcommitting or biting on salesmanship while still capitalizing on his opponents' mistakes.

Further, Harrison's flexibility enables him to win leverage by bending at the knee and sitting in the chair. The experienced tackle maintains an active base into and through engagement. He showed improved angles throughout the 2021 season.

In pass protection, the Sooners' tackle plays calmly and efficiently. He keeps good weight distribution and can easily match speed rushers in his sets.

In the run game, Harrison can be used creatively. He works to space and navigates traffic well on pulls and climbs. He has all the tools to be an excellent move blocker and flashes in that role despite his overall inconsistency in the area. In line, the Archbishop Carroll product's power helps him seal defenders in a hurry, and he has the leg drive to push defenders and open rushing lanes.

While starting in the Big 12, Harrison has been exposed to various creative ways to manufacture pressure. He generally handles himself well with his head on a swivel against stunts and blitzers, and he has the movement skills to recover if he is late to recognize a pattern.

Additionally, Harrison has an impressive motor. He keeps his hands and feet working through the whistle and looks for work when otherwise unoccupied.

Anton Harrison's athletic tools and refined play make him a potential franchise tackle at the next level. 

Though Oklahoma's exciting left tackle has an enticing blend of athleticism and technique, he is far from a perfect prospect.

While Harrison shows off power regularly, he may struggle against NFL athletes. If his hand technique falters, he struggles to control his opponents. Similarly, he can be driven or even put on his heels by power and hands to his frame. His coordination typically saves him in these situations at the college level, but he will see a learning curve in the league. Moreover, defenders can work through Harrison's grip laterally even after he latches on.

College prospects are rarely completely NFL-ready in their technique. Harrison is no exception. He sometimes shoots his hands late and, in doing so, gives up his chest. Consequently, he is jolted or even blown up by smaller players and cannot always recover. He also fails to consistently reset his hands accurately if an opponent can create separation. Despite constant improvement in this area, Harrison still reduces his functional strength with wide hands at times. The athletic tackle's feet click in his sets occasionally, offering defenders the chance to work through or around him. Likewise, he tends to overset outside and leave a large inside window. Although he is flexible and plays with proper pad level, bendy and technical pass rushers get below Harrison's reach. He does not always win the leverage battle.

Moreover, he chases his opponents too much instead of cutting them off, allowing them to work around him and forcing him to scramble to recover. Harrison can be late to react to defenders, and his resulting late hip turns to force him into awkward and losing positions. 

Largely a pass protection specialist at this stage of his development, Harrison must refine certain aspects of his game to be NFL-ready. He tends to present a soft inside shoulder on vertical sets, leaving him vulnerable to virtually any inside move, especially those that feature power. Harrison can, furthermore, lose to late hand counters after easing up once he ostensibly believes the ball to have been released.

Still somewhat raw in the run game, Harrison must learn to maximize his physical traits. Currently, he fails to reliably break down when blocking on the move. He lunges in space and finds himself whiffing, thrown around, or redirected. He also allows his hands to drift to the shoulders, which gives up his chest and hurts his ability to control his opponents. As a result, he is inefficient in engaging and sustaining in the open field. When blocking in-line, Harrison leans into his punches, leaving him both off balance and open to contact from defenders.

At the next level, Harrison's success may depend on the team or system into which he is drafted. He projects as a pure tackle who should operate in a zone-heavy offense.

As the 2022 season approaches, the Oklahoma football program is in an uncertain state for the first time in years. In the offseason, storied head coach Lincoln Riley decided to relocate to the University of Southern California. The team's star rising-sophomore quarterback, Caleb Williams, followed him to the west coast. Spencer Rattler, the projected top pick in the 2022 NFL Draft before the 2021 season, transferred to South Carolina after losing his job to Williams. All that said, Harrison, figures to be a central piece of the Sooners' offense in his junior year.

In 2022, Harrison must clean up his run blocking both in line and in space. His technique, generally quite solid, falls apart at times in the run game and leaves him vulnerable. Further, he should continue ironing out the kinks in his play that he began to address towards the end of the 2021 season. For example, he would benefit from cleaning up his angles, hand placement, and punch timing. Harrison needs to surrender his chest less by winning leverage more consistently.

An excellent starter for the Sooners in 2021, Harrison's sophomore film distinguished him as an exciting prospect. As a sophomore, he was a second-round player with the potential to grow into a day-one tackle. Anton Harrison stands out in what is widely seen as a weak tackle class. Though he projects as a promising backup or below-average starter early in his career, he has the chance to develop into an elite franchise tackle.

Grade (Floor / Ceiling): Low-level starter or developmental backup at offensive tackle / Elite starting left tackle in a zone offense.

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