The Jaguars Ronnie Harrison is a playmaker and budding star

Ronnie Harrison is quickly establishing himself as a playmaker in the Jaguars secondary.

The Jaguars choice of Ronnie Harrison in the third round of the 2018 Draft excited me at the time.  Alabama players are talented, well-coached, and ready to make an impact. He has certainly made an impact in his short time with the organization.

Harrison, at 6’2” and 207 pounds, has the size to play strong safety in the NFL.  He didn’t participate in all the assessments at the Combine but was still projected as the second-best strong safety in the Draft and was expected to be chosen in the second round.  He was selected as an All-SEC player and was a member of two National Championship teams.

Harrison started as a backup to Barry Church in his 2018 rookie year, won the starting role late in the season, and had an injury that ended his 2018 season early.

In 2019 he has been the type of player the team hoped he would be when he came to the NFL. 2019. In the first seven games of the season, Harrison has 47 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions, and two tackles for a loss. In another interesting stat, he has only three penalties on a penalty challenged team.

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The highly talented defensive backfield of 2017 has moved on with the exception of A.J. Bouye. The youth and inexperience of the Jaguars secondary provide both a challenge and an opportunity for Harrison to become a leader of this defense. He has met the challenge by leading the team in tackles and interceptions and showing leadership to a very young group.

"As John Shipley of Jaguars Maven reported, “The Jaguars have needed someone to step up as a play maker.  Seven games into the 2019 season, it appears second-year safety Ronnie Harrison is the defensive back capable of creating the big plays the Jaguars defense desperately needs.”"

Shipley continued per Pro Football Reference Harrison has been targeted 20 times and has allowed 10 receptions for 144 yards.  He is allowing a 50.8 pass rating when targeted in coverage. Although stats don’t tell the entire story Harrison’s stats are very good.

Coach Doug Marrone has praised his second-year starter for his play on the field and how he has developed into a solid contributor on this roster.

"“I think Ronnie is going to get better and better.  He is an intense player and plays with a high level of emotion… he is a good player for us now but he has the ability if he keeps working hard to be an excellent player in this league.”"

Finally, Harrison’s hard work on the practice field and on game day is helping the Jaguars win football games. He is growing into a player with Pro Bowl potential. He is turning into the player I thought he would be on Draft day.