Following the 2022 season, Anton Harrison called Oklahoma offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh and his father, Andre Harrison.
The third-year offensive tackle and a potential first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, knew he was ready to declare for the next step, and grouped the trio into a conference call.
“He said he felt like he was ready,” Andre told the OU Daily. “He felt like this was the time. I was just so happy for him and just supported him either way.
“For me it really wasn't a good thing or a bad thing. I just want him to be the best he can be, play to the highest level and be consistent.”
A few months later at OU’s Pro Day on Thursday, Harrison pumped 24 reps on bench press and ran a 4.93-second 20-yard shuttle. His impressive performance comes after his stellar showing at the NFL Combine, where he ran a 4.98-second 40-yard dash — the second-highest mark of any offensive line prospect invited — and had a 28.5-inch vertical leap.
24 reps on bench press for former #Sooners OT Anton Harrison pic.twitter.com/WRSDvWTonJ
— Austin Curtright (@AustinCurtright) March 30, 2023
Harrison wants to join the recent group of elite OU offensive lineman to enter the league, including Pro Bowlers Trent Williams — who he admired growing up — Lane Johnson, Orlando Brown and Creed Humphrey.
“For me, I want to go on day one,” Harrison said Thursday. “That's the goal. I'm probably gonna be at home with my family. So that’s my plan for draft day. That's my goal. I want to go as early as possible.”
According to Andre, Harrison has heard from a plethora of NFL teams, including the Los Angeles Rams, Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and more.
In December, Bedenbaugh said Harrison had a “good chance” to go in the late first round to early second, months before his impressive performance at the combine in a later conversation with Harrison’s dad.
Harrison is now the No. 4-ranked offensive tackle in the draft according to ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.
Part of Harrison’s rise up mock drafts is due to his training regimen he started in preparation for the draft. The 6-foot-5, 315-pound offensive tackle moved to California to workout with Proactive Sports Performance’s Joe Panos, who also works with potential draft picks Oregon linebacker Noah Sewell, Wisconsin offensive lineman Joe Tippmann and Cincinnati tight end Josh Whyle.
There, the group has been running through the hills, doing yoga and changing their diets. The alteration has caused Harrison to drop his personal favorite candy, cherry Twizzlers.
“I was eating whatever really, I liked fast foods and shakes, things like that (in college),” Harrison said. “We have a chef out there, so we were getting meals made. I was eating things I had never seen before.
"So it was a good experience, helped me learn a lot of my body, things like that and some good things to take before workouts for games.”
With the draft looming, Andre has been most impressed with his son’s maturity through the pre-draft process. Andre said he was once a defensive line prospect from the University of Mississippi but went undrafted because he didn’t take the process seriously.
Harrison, in turn, has taken his father’s advice and used it to his own benefit. He’s worked out six days a week and quickly adapted to the business-like approach of the NFL.
With his newfound mentality, the former Oklahoma offensive tackle is nearing closer to his dream.
“It’s his maturity,” Andre said. “I think he's grown as a young man and matured a lot over the last three years. He’s just been able to understand the game and understand the details and the work it takes to become a pro and to play at a high level."
This story was edited by Austin Curtright and Colton Sulley. Ansley Chambers copy edited this story.
