Ravens rookie Malik Harrison getting rave reviews at training camp

Linebacker will start with fellow rookie Patrick Queen

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Malik Harrison carries a lot of responsibility for a rookie,

The third-round pick from Ohio State is expected to start alongside fellow first-year player Patrick Queen at linebacker.

So far, Harrison has been impressive. 

“To the physicality, the way he moves and his size, he’s really talented. He’s a really big person, and he moves really fluidly and smoothly," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "He has great body control. He’s a guy that [when] you teach him footwork, he picks it up quickly – whether it’s defense or special teams. That’s a gift."

Harrison was a two-year starter and led the Buckeyes with 75 tackles and added 4.5 sacks, 16.5 tackles for losses, and four pass breakups as a senior. A bit of an old-school linebacker, he ranked third in ProFootballFocus.com’s run-stop percentage, a metric that essentially measures impact tackles.

Only Andy Katzenmoyer (23 in 1996), Ryan Shazier (17 in 2012 and 22.5 in 2013) and Matt Wilhelm (19.5 in 2002) had more tackles for a loss from the linebacker position than Harrison in 2019.

Queen will play mostly at MIKE so that he can use his speed and his instincts to make plays and be a three-down guy both in the Ravens base package and sub-package, Harbaugh said. Harrison will start at WILL in the base package, but could also switch positions with Queen.

“It’s exciting – somebody that’s my age playing alongside me. He’s more of a ‘thumper’ type of guy," Queen said. "So, when I come in and play alongside of him, it’s going to be really exciting just to see him about to hit somebody. That gets my juices flowing, and can’t to see what he does in the future.”

Both players are expected to make an impact in pass coverage, which is a challenge for any young player. 

"For the rookies, the pass coverages aren’t as sophisticated [in college]," Harbaugh said. "Even as Ohio State has a sophisticated defense, it’s not like here. So, the ability to adjust and feel and know where the routes are at, it takes a lifetime of playing linebacker. He made a big step from yesterday to today, and to see – like you said – the plays that he made, that was good to see.”