OSU DE Harrison eager for next chapter: NFL
INDIANAPOLIS – In two months, Zach Harrison will move away from the Columbus area for the first time.
After blossoming into a five-star prospect at Olentangy Orange and playing four years for Ohio State, the defensive end is eager to begin his NFL career.
“I’m excited,” he said at the NFL combine. “Just something new. I love Columbus. It’s always going to have a special place in my heart because it’s home. But I’m ready to spread my wings and get away from home and plant my roots somewhere else.”
Harrison had his struggles early in his Buckeye career before blossoming in his final two years, even if he didn’t light up the stats sheet. In 40 games, he had 97 tackles – 24 for losses − and 11 sacks.
“Obviously, you want to have double-digit sack seasons and things like that, but you’ve got to realize there are other ways to affect the game, and I feel that I did that well,” Harrison said.
Two of his sacks came at the end of the surprisingly tough Maryland game last season, the second of which caused a fumble for a touchdown to clinch the Buckeyes’ victory.
He said his proudest achievement was being named a captain by teammates as a junior.
“That’s something I’m going to have on my resume for the rest of my life,” Harrison said. “That was voted on by my peers. I’m really honored to be able to do that. Just all my time at Ohio State, I loved every second of it, the whole journey.”
Harrison is 6 feet 51⁄2 and 274 pounds with 361⁄2-inch arms and rare speed for someone his size. He was expected to showcase that speed in the 40-yard dash on Thursday, but the NFL Network reported that a slight hamstring strain caused him to decide not to do any drills at the combine.
Harrison is generally projected as a Day 2 pick in the second or third rounds. An impressive combine could give him a major boost.
“I’m so excited about the player that I am today,” Harrison said. “Being at the combine and being one of the top guys in the defensive line class, and just knowing that I have so much room to improve, and I hope that I get to tap into that.”