When discussing the Atlanta Falcons' defensive line, rookies Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr are usually the first two names to come to mind—and for good reason. The first-round draft picks each recorded their first career sacks in Week 2 and are only scratching the surface of their immense potential.
But in the face of that noise, third-year defensive tackle Zach Harrison has been quietly enjoying a breakout campaign of his own. Harrison was fantastic as a rookie, recording 3.0 sacks and 33 tackles before finding himself buried on the depth chart under then-DC Jimmy Lake. But while Jeff Ulbrich has transformed Atlanta's defense into one of the league's best, the 24-year-old has been one of the main benefactors.
In the Falcons' 22-6 victory in Minnesota, the Ohio State product amassed a team-high 1.5 sacks, five tackles, and two quarterback hits. It seems as though both Harrison and Brandon Dorlus have replaced David Onyemata atop the defensive tackle depth chart. And against a banged up Panthers' offense, his strong start to 2025 could very well continue in Week 3.
Zach Harrison's breakout season will continue in Week 3
While he could improve as a run stuffer, former third-round pick has emerged as one of the best pass-rushing interior linemen in football. According to Pro Football Focus, Harrison's 80.1 pass rushing grade is good for eighth among all defensive linemen, while his 72.4 PFF grade ranked 25th of 160 qualified DL's.
That’s a mammoth leap for a player who was once on the verge of being written off. The former five-star recruit wrecked defenses in Columbus, and his blend of size, speed, and versatility is finally being unlocked in Ulbrich’s scheme after finishing 2024 with three sacks in the final three games.
And with Walker, Pearce, Leonard Floyd, and Arnold Ebiketie playing opposite the 6-foot-5, 270-pound lineman, his emergence has forced offenses to pick their poison—and the timing couldn't be better.
Harrison has a juicy matchup in Week 3 as the Dirty Birds travel to Charlotte 3 to face a Carolina team missing two starting offensive linemen in Austin Corbett and Robert Hunt. If he takes advantage and keeps up his disruptive pace, Bryce Young could be under siege all afternoon long as Atlanta looks to improve to 2-1.
The Falcons sacked J.J. McCarthy six times last Sunday night, and Harrison’s revival could see him add Bryce Young to his list of victims—further cementing his climb from draft whiff to potential defensive cornerstone.