After Breakout Season at Oklahoma, Anton Harrison's Pre-Draft Work is Setting Him Up For NFL Success
NORMAN — Bill Bedenbaugh’s pipeline program to the NFL won’t be ending any time soon.
With a strong Pro Day in Norman, Oklahoma’s Anton Harrison projects to be the Sooners‘ next first-round pick in the NFL Draft.
Harrison is an athletic tackle that has been shooting up draft boards ever since the season ended. He helped anchor an experienced offensive line for the Sooners, as the team developed an elite ground attack.
Checking in at just over 6-foot-4, 315 pounds, Harrison has elite size at the next level. He certainly helped his case on Thursday, showing off his mobility and strength in front of scouts.
“It’s been good,” Harrison said. “Happy to get out here and show my athleticism, play football, and have fun with the guys one more time."
Mel Kiper's No. 4-ranked offensive tackle logged 24 reps on the bench, which would’ve tied for sixth among tackles at the NFL Combine. At the combine, Harrison previously recorded a 28.5-inch vertical jump and ran a 4.98 time in the 40-yard dash, impressing NFL personnel with his versatility and athleticism.
In addition to his impressive bench set, Harrison was able to showcase his quickness and agility with a recorded 4.93 in the 20-yard shuttle. He seemingly has all the tools to succeed at the next level while being one of the youngest players in the draft pool.
"It’s been a dream come true," he said. "Just, all the attention I’m getting has been good, I’m loving it and learning from all the coaches I’ve been talking to, all the scouts. Going through the process, it’s been a learning experience, but getting better day by day and just having fun with it."
The projected first-round pick had the option to return to Oklahoma for his senior season, but after a breakout campaign in 2022 and overwhelmingly positive pre-draft reviews, Harrison made the decision to jump to the next level.
He’s been preparing for the NFL Draft ever since Oklahoma’s regular season ended, and that process has included training with some of the draft’s top prospects and smoothing out his game for upcoming workouts.
“Broderick Jones, Joe Tippman from Wisconsin, those are the offensive linemen,” he said. “I worked at an offense facility so we had a bunch of QB’s, like CJ Stroud and Bryce Young. Receivers from BYU, tight ends like Darnell Washington, Michael Mayer — so I trained with good guys. We were competing every day, wanting to get better, we all want to get to that same goal.”
Being alone, and training outside of the school's facility, is one of the biggest adjustments to preparing for the next level. Having a solid support system of likeminded athletes and other projected first-round picks has been essential for Harrison's focus leading up to the draft.
“The process is hard," Harrison said. "It gets tough, you get tired — long days, early mornings, late nights — but that’s definitely the difference from college. it’s business now you’re working for millions of dollars trying to get to that spot. Having those guys there was always good to push you. If you come in sluggish, they’re trying to get you going, making you better. Weight room, film, even yoga sessions.”
His preparation is already paying off at the next level. He's looking more and more like a first-round pick, and for Harrison, that has always been the goal.
“For me, I want to go Day One,” he said with a smile. “That’s the goal. I’m probably gonna be at home with my family, those are my only plans for draft day. That’s my goal, I want to go as early as possible.”
