Zach Harrison Is Quietly Powering the Falcons’ Defensive Revival

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga – The Atlanta Falcons have enjoyed one of the biggest defensive turnarounds in the NFL, and several players have played a critical role in that. One key contributor is third-year defensive lineman Zach Harrison. 

Through six games, Jeff Ulbrich’s revamped unit is eighth in the league in points allowed, second in passing defense, 19th in rush defense, and 10th in EPA/play allowed. Their pressure rate (37.6%) is eighth, and this defense is shutting opposing offenses down. 

As a unit, they have embodied the “heart, mind, fist” mantra of their defensive coordinator. But not many can claim that more than Harrison. 

The defensive lineman’s impact was felt on the very first snap against San Francisco in Week 7. He punished offensive lineman Dominick Puni off the line of scrimmage and exploded into the backfield, pulling down Mac Jones for a sack. Plays like that are exactly why the defensive lineman leads the Falcons in sacks (3.5), while adding 17 tackles, four tackles for a loss, and a forced fumble so far this season.

“Zach [Harrison] gets one-on-ones, and when you draw those one-on-ones, you've got to win,” head coach Raheem Morris said. “Zach's been able to go out and get his one-on-ones and absolutely win with his length and his power and his strength and his strain and his effort.” 

These marks are easily the best of his career through six games. The third-year defender was simply looking for a defense that fit his style of play, and he may have found that with Ulbrich.

“I had him as a three-down starter [coming out of Ohio State],” Ulbrich said about draft evaluation of Harrison. “I had him as a guy that I thought had amazing up style because he's obviously – I mean, you've just seen him, he's just enormous. He's long. He's got just an amazing body in that way, perfect for that defensive end position in the attack front. Then with the speed, the instinct, the toughness and all that that he showed, I thought he had just an amazing potential in this league.” 

The potential is exactly why the Falcons drafted him in the third round of the 2023 draft. He has elite size (6-foot-5, 270 pounds) and matches that with tremendous athleticism. That unique combination, plus some incredible strength, makes it so he can play both along the interior and exterior of the Falcons’ defensive line. 

Now, Ulbrich has gone from admiring the size and ability from afar to getting his hands on him. The results speak for themselves and have shown why he is a prototype for this attack-style defensive front. 

“All the stuff I thought he had, he absolutely has,” Ulbrich said. “He's checked every one of those boxes. Now, just getting him more and more familiar with what we're trying to get accomplished here. And I feel like every week he's taking steps. He's getting better, he's getting better, he's getting better. The stuff that's undeniable is his effort, his strain, his finish. It's very uncommon.”

As is the case with several of the Falcons’ defenders this season, versatility is his superpower. He runs, he’s big, and he hits.

Six games in, Harrison’s breakout feels less like a surprise and more like a reflection of this defense’s identity: fast, physical, and unrelenting. For a unit built on heart, mind, and fist, Harrison has become its embodiment in the trenches.