Perhaps San Francisco 49ers star Nick Bosa will have a fellow Ohio State alumnus join him on the Niners’ defense next season.
According to the latest mock draft from NFL.com’s Chad Reuter, the 49ers will look to Columbus, Ohio, to draft Zach Harrison at No. 102 overall. Reuter offered no commentary to go along with his pick, but his colleague Lance Zierlein described him as “big and long with the ability to neutralize base blocks as a 4-3 base end” and having the “physical tools to create occasional advantages early in the rush.” However, Zierlein questioned his lack of both “playmaking urgency” and a “fiery demeanor.”
Had Bosa not declared early for the 2019 draft, he and Harrison would’ve been teammates on the 2019 Buckeye team that won the Big Ten championship but lost to Clemson in the College Football Playoff semifinal.
Harrison Also Drew Comparison to Ex-49ers Defender
Harrison was originally pegged by 247Sports’ Barton Simmons as a potential No. 1 overall pick coming out of high school.
“Archetype, hand-down defensive end frame,” Simmons wrote in 2019. “Generational testing numbers at his size. Athletic versatility to play wide receiver. Uses hands effectively to read and shed in the run game. Eats up space in zone read game. Possesses twitch and suddenness and can bend the edge as a pass rusher. Speed in pursuit is elite.”
After being named to the All Big Ten second team during his freshman and sophomore years, Harrison did not pick up any honors as an upperclassmen. He finished his four-year career with 17.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks.
Harrison, who left high school at 6-foot-5 and 253 pounds, would “bulk up to 275 with ease,” Simmons predicted.
At the combine in Indianapolis in early March, Harrison wound up weighing in at 274 pounds. He had to sit out several drills at the combine because of a tweaked hamstring but participated in Ohio State’s Pro Day on March 22.
Simmons also compared Harrison to former 49ers defensive end Jordan Willis, a former third-round draft pick in 2017 who played two and a half seasons before signing with the Las Vegas Raiders on a one-year deal on March 20.
With Willis’ departure and Charles Omenihu signing with the Kansas City Chiefs, the need for a pass rusher of Harrison’s size becomes more apparent.
Breakdown: Harrison Brings Versatile Length
With more than 36 inch arms and at a towering 6-foot-5, Harrison is already perfect for the roles Willis and Omenihu once had — sliding inside and using their length to free up Bosa and company, while also getting after the quarterback. And those arms came in handy on Saturdays in the Big 10:
His get-off will likely attract NFL suitors needing a long edge rusher.
Zach Harrison coming at you.
But here’s what else is making him NFL ready even after his Ohio State career: His defensive lineman trainer is Eddy McGilvra — who’s worked with countless of league clients including Super Bowl champion defenders Aaron Donald, Sebastian Joseph-Day, Greg Gaines and had 2021 Indianapolis Colts first-rounder Kwity Paye working with him.
Zach Harrison bag work
When Willis and Omenihu signed elsewhere, the 49ers were missing two options with the length needed for the trenches. Harrison is emerging as one of the top options in day 2 of the draft.
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49ers Called a Fit for Edge Rusher Who Nearly Teamed Up With Nick Bosa