Anton Harrison has been lauded for his rookie performance on the Jaguars’ otherwise underwhelming offensive line in 2023, perhaps no more in detail than by film analyst James Foster of A to Z Sports.
Foster published an 18-minute breakdown of Harrison’s first season in the NFL via YouTube on Monday, using All-22 footage to analyze the Jacksonville right tackle’s strengths, areas needing improvement and general performance compared to other rookie tackles in 2023.
Watch the full video below.
“He has the combination of physical traits and advanced technique to be a shut-down right tackle,” Foster said in the video’s introduction. “He still needs to put it all together consistently but he has a chance to be a top-five pass-blocking tackle and it’s looking like one of the best picks from the first round last year.”
Harrison, Jacksonville’s No. 27 overall selection in the first round of last year’s draft, started 17 games in 2023 and ranked No. 2 on the team in offensive snaps logged with 1,113. He did so while playing through a shoulder injury that required minor surgery after the season.
Harrison allowed five sacks over the first eight games of his debut campaign but did not give up another over the final nine matchups, per Pro Football Focus, ending the year on a hot streak in pass protection and letting him enter 2024 with confidence.
Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor believes the self-assurance Harrison generated throughout his rookie year will benefit him as he approaches his second pro season.
“I think there’s a level of confidence that you expect to see from a guy that played the whole season. You saw his confidence grow from Week 1 through Week 18 in just understanding what each week looks like,” Taylor said. “I think that’s one of the biggest things, especially for young guys. Their season ends around Thanksgiving. Well, we’re in the middle of our season right there.
“There’s a long push, each week is a new set of challenges. You face that, you overcome a lot of that and continue to grow. Now you know what to expect in year two. You expect to see that confidence, walk around with a little bit more swagger [and] approach each week with just more understanding of what is coming.”
