Heading into the NFL Combine and eventually the NFL Draft, Ohio State Buckeyes stars C.J. Stroud, Paris Johnson Jr., and Jaxon Smith-Njigba have drawn most of the headlines around the NFL world as likely first-round picks. But it was a different Buckeye star who was turning heads at the NFL Combine on Thursday morning.
Even before he participated in on-field workouts at the combine on Wednesday, Ohio State defensive end Zach Harrison earned himself plenty of attention for his measurements, standing 6-foot-5.4, 274 lbs with a 10 inch hand, 85 1/2 wingspan, and an eye-popping 36 1/4 arm length.
As Ohio State Buckeyes beat writer Dan Hope of Eleven Warriors points out, that arm length puts Harrison in a pretty elite category.
Zach Harrison has the longest arms (36 1/4 inches) of any defensive linemen at the NFL Scouting Combine since 2014. That’s the longest arm measurement for any player at the combine since 2020 – though that will change when Dawand Jones weighs in on Sunday: https://t.co/AAtpD1xOug
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) March 2, 2023
“Zach Harrison has the longest arms (36 1/4 inches) of any defensive linemen at the NFL Scouting Combine since 2014. That’s the longest arm measurement for any player at the combine since 2020 – though that will change when Dawand Jones weighs in on Sunday,” Hope said in a tweet on Thursday.
They’re certainly eye-popping numbers for Harrison, and the NFL world had plenty to say about it on Twitter.
Expected Zach Harrison to measure well. That's a big dude who is supposed to run well. Doesn't have super impressive tape but does have a ready-made primary move that can win in the NFL (power step to side scissors like most Larry Johnson proteges) https://t.co/8ykE2E5Eia
— John Owning (@JohnOwning) March 2, 2023
98th percentile arm length for Harrison… https://t.co/1W0TCpMqop
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) March 2, 2023
If he runs a 4.5 and has a 40 inch vert like he's rumored to, that would be insane. Would be comparable to a Kyle Vanden Bosch level combine. Which was insane for the time. https://t.co/ANV072MFxH
— 𝑺𝒄𝒐𝒕𝒕 𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒌 🐦⬛🏈🇬🇪🇺🇦🇱🇻 (@CarasikS) March 2, 2023
For what it’s worth — and we will see very soon — but was told OSU DE Zach Harrison isn’t running today.
Will wait for pro day.
He’s expected to run very, very fast so he’s not ducking the test. We’ve seen guys change their mind on this too so I’m gonna couch like crazy lol
— Peter Bukowski (@Peter_Bukowski) March 2, 2023
Perfect HT/WT/Length for the Falcons new DC. https://t.co/ANV072MFxH
— 𝑺𝒄𝒐𝒕𝒕 𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒌 🐦⬛🏈🇬🇪🇺🇦🇱🇻 (@CarasikS) March 2, 2023
Not only are those measurements impressive, but he’ll likely turn more heads when he runs the 40-yard dash, whether it’s at the combine or his pro day at Ohio State.
Though Harrison is a 274-pound defensive lineman, he actually played wide receiver and tight end in high school and also ran track, serving as the anchor of his high school’s 4×100 meter relay team.
He’s big with a freaky athletic frame, and he can also move.
[Dan Hope]
