Ohio State defensive end Zach Harrison drafted by Atlanta in third round of NFL draft
Ohio State defensive end Zach Harrison is headed to the Atlanta Falcons.
The Olentangy Orange product from Lewis Center was taken in the third round with the 75th overall pick.
Harrison is the first Buckeye defensive player taken in the draft and the only OSU player taken Friday. In the first round on Thursday, quarterback C.J. Stroud was the No. 2 overall pick by Houston, followed by left tackle Paris Johnson at No. 6 by Arizona and receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba at No. 20 by Seattle.
"I feel so blessed," Harrison said in an interview with the Falcons' team website. "I'm really at a loss for words. It feels so much better than I could even imagine."
The Falcons have two Buckeyes on their roster. Cornerback Jeff Okudah was recently acquired in a trade with Detroit, joining long-snapper Liam McCullough.
More: Ohio State QB CJ Stroud taken second in NFL draft by Houston Texans
Harrison was a five-star recruit in 2019 based largely on having rare speed for a 6-foot-6 defensive end. He developed into an impactful player, though his sack numbers were relatively modest. Harrison had 13 sacks in his OSU career, with a high of four in 2021.
More: Analysis: Where Jaxon Smith-Njigba fits with the Seattle Seahawks
But he did have 25½ career tackles for losses, and his long arms and ability to anticipate allowed him to break up 11 passes, and he forced five fumbles.
“Football players know I’m a ballplayer and I make plays,” Harrison said at the NFL combine. “I’m not sure if the casual fan knows that as much because maybe I didn’t have Chase Young numbers. But I definitely had an impact on the games, and I really care about is my teammates and winning games.
“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, I think I did that well.”
Harrison was born in Chicago, but his family moved to the Columbus area when he was 4. Now he’ll be leaving his hometown for the first time.
“I love Columbus,” he said at the combine. “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, who graduated last December with a degree in criminology, watched the draft from his family's home. Now he's eager to get to Atlanta.
"When I got that call, it was like, 'It's time to go to work,'" Harrison said. "It's celebration, but then once that's over, I've got to get back to the grind. They're going to get everything I've got."
The draft concludes Saturday with Rounds 4-7. Right tackle Dawand Jones, center Luke Wypler and safety Ronnie Hickman are expected to be the first and perhaps the only Ohio State players selected.
Get more Ohio State football news by listening to our podcasts.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Buckeye DE Zach Harrison drafted by Falcons in third round
