On Thursday, 247Sports released their latest 2019 recruiting rankings, and Olentangy Orange (Lewis Center, OH) defensive end Zach Harrison was at the very top of their list.
Orange High School is 15 miles from the Ohio State campus, in case you were wondering.
Harrison measured in at a The Opening Regional combine in Cleveland last April at 6-foot-5.5 and 243 pounds and then proceeded to run a 4.62 40-yard dash with a 35.9″ vertical jump.
As a junior, Harrison put those measurables to good use last season with over 20 tackles for loss for Orange.
Well before then, however, the offers began rolling in. He now holds offers from Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Alabama, Georgia, Stanford, USC, and many others.
Harrison has been to several Ohio State games and also visited last summer during OSU’s camp season. He doesn’t seek out attention, and when speaking with reporters at a camp last June, he did it while walking to his car with his mother, mainly talking about how he planned on taking recruiting slowly. He is a big fan of defensive line coach Larry Johnson, however.
Harrison has said he doesn’t feel any pressure to stay close to home, but also that there is no allure to leave. He is obviously Priority No. 1 for Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes in 2019.
As a defensive end, Harrison can seemingly cut off an entire side of the field on a running play. He swallows up the play like a sinkhole. Harrison can also extend a running play to the sideline, keeping pace with the ball the entire time. As a pass rusher, he is a difficult task for any pass blocker. His burst and explosion are evident immediately, and the tools that he has to work with will only increase with time. His speed allows him to track down quarterbacks who try to escape the pocket. Harrison’s length and reach can allow him to bring down a ball carrier even if he appears to be beaten.
You can check out his junior highlights below and get a pretty good idea of why he is the nation’s top prospect according to 247Sports.
Zach Harrison Highlights
[Zach Harrison photo courtesy Scout.com.]
The Bagman needs to deliver. Daily.