-
Michael Rothstein, ESPN Staff Writer
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Defensive end Zach Harrison sat in the Atlanta Falcons locker room earlier this month, listening to every word. Calais Campbell leaned over in a locker stall next to Harrison and began to chat, not the first time it had happened this season.
All season long, the third-round pick absorbed conversation from the veterans around him.
It’s those lessons learned, combined with his increased work rate and production in the latter half of the season, which makes Harrison a prime candidate to break out in 2024.
Campbell tried to impart little things throughout 2023, tips only a veteran with 16 years of playing experience might understand, like shedding blocks a certain way or using leverage of offensive linemen to create an advantage. As Harrison’s career continues, Campbell said, his play recognition and block shedding will improve.
Harrison watched Campbell watching film, asking questions and trying to learn how he did it so he could do it himself.
“Some of the main stuff is knowing, based off the formations, what blocks you’re going to get so you can anticipate where the ball is going as soon as they take the first step,” Campbell said. “Like you don’t have to react just off what they are doing and you’re trying to look for the ball.
“You know where the ball is going.”
This was all part of Harrison’s rookie process out of Ohio State, an obvious learning curve which showed season-long growth. By season’s end, he was consistently playing over 20 defensive snaps a game as part of Atlanta’s second defensive line unit, making 11 of his 33 tackles and all three of his sacks in his final three games of the year — missing the season finale due to injury.
He showed maturation throughout, picking up small levels of hand placement and different nuances from the veterans. Campbell said Harrison’s shed blocks improved dramatically.
Harrison jokes it would take him a long time to explain everything he learned as a rookie. Every week it was something new he picked up from Campbell, Grady Jarrett or other teammates.
Early in the season, Harrison said former defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, who’s now with the Jacksonville Jaguars, would get on him for mistakes, something that was no longer an issue by the end of the year. Harrison said Nielsen “never once told me a lie,” and that level of coaching, even when it was hard, was something he appreciated.
In meetings, he’d listen to pointers in film from Campbell — rookies sat in the front so Harrison sat by himself, spreading out with his water bottle on one chair and backpack on another — and start to take it into his own plans.
It forced him to learn to improve. There wasn’t a specific point where he felt things break through, but it was constant growth.
“I just feel like I can be a playmaker in this league,” Harrison said. “Just consistently being a person that my teammates can count on.”
That could be critical for Atlanta, as Campbell is a free agent with no guarantees of returning. Harrison spent a year, in some ways, apprenticing behind Campbell. He learned a ton from Campbell and Jarrett: Film work, body recovery, how they approach game days, off days and practice.
“Take what they do,” Harrison said. “And make it Zach. Just do it my own way.”
Source: www.espn.com