Ohio State then-junior defensive end Zach Harrison (9) cheers as he leaves the stadium after the Ohio State-Penn State game Oct. 30, 2021. Ohio State won 33-24. Credit: Christian Harsa | Special Projects Director
Former Ohio State defensive end Zach Harrison was selected as the No. 75 overall pick in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons.
The nation’s No. 1 defensive end according to recruiting outlets coming out of high school in 2019, Harrison was a top-five prospect nationally and was the consensus top-ranked player in Ohio. High expectations awaited the 6-foot-5 prospect, who has been clocked at 4.47 in the 40-yard dash and drew comparisons to former Buckeye and current Washington Commander, Chase Young.
Unlike Young, Harrison spent an extra season at Ohio State and totaled 46 games while starting 27. He started every single game last season, leading him to earn First Team All-Big Ten recognition after recording 34 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks.
In his final three games, Harrison clinched tackles for losses, including versus Michigan and against Georgia in the College Football Playoff. His leadership intangibles led him to become a team captain in 2021, as he ended the season with eight tackles for losses, four sacks, four pass break-ups and two forced fumbles and quarterback hurries.
Harrison had a career-high six tackles versus Purdue in 2021 and had five against Utah in the Rose Bowl. At the NFL Combine, he only participated in the bench press with 25 reps as many scouts were unable to see his freakish athleticism that initially put him on the map.
Harrison finished his collegiate career with 106 career tackles, 25.5 tackles for loss and 13 quarterback sacks during four seasons at Ohio State. He graduated with a degree in criminology in December 2022, and was one of only 11 Big Ten football players named on the Big Ten’s Anti-Hate and Anti-Racism Coalition.
