The Jacksonville Jaguars asked rookie offensive tackle Anton Harrison to grow up fast in 2023. The first-round pick was anointed the starting right tackle essentially the second he stepped off the plane in Jacksonville and has faced a gauntlet of pass rushers, including the Chiefs’ Chris Jones and Steelers’ T.J. Watt.
Now more than three months into his NFL career, the growth of Harrison is evident.
“He’s communicating a lot more, the first couple of games he was quiet,” Jaguars veteran guard Brandon Scherff said Monday. “He’s playing a lot more physical, he’s playing with a lot more swagger, so it’s fun to see him knocking people on their butt and celebrate.
“He’s got really good feet, he’s really long and he’s only 21 years old which is absolutely crazy that I’m 10 years older than him. But he’s got a bright future and I’m excited to be able to play next to him.”
Harrison was credited by Pro Football Focus with allowing three sacks in the first two weeks and five before the Jaguars’ Week 9 bye. In the last five weeks, he hasn’t allowed a sack and the last hit he allowed was in the team’s Week 10 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
Anton Harrison did not allow a pressure on any of his 19 matchups against Will Anderson in Week 12. He allowed just 1 pressure on 14 matchups in Week 2 vs Anderson.
Harrison has been left with 1-on-1 matchups on 85.2% of his pass blocks this season (1st among RT).#DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/sm9nQ0q4zk
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) November 27, 2023
“There’s no breaks in this league,” Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said last week. “We’ve faced great pass rushers on either side of the line, so I think that helps that Anton knows he’s been through these types of situations.”
That’s good because Harrison will have another tall test Sunday night when the Baltimore Ravens come to Jacksonville. No team has more sacks through the first 14 weeks with Justin Madubuike (11) and Jadeveon Clowney (7.5) leading the way.
