Zach Harrison appears to be coming back for his senior season.
The Buckeye pass-rusher posted a series of photos on Instagram with the caption “9/3/22” on Friday, suggesting that he will be back for his senior season and on the field when the Buckeyes play Notre Dame in their 2022 season opener on Sept. 3.
A five-star recruit in the class of 2019, the 6-foot-6, 272-pound defensive end has had his best season as a Buckeye in 2021, recording 28 total tackles with seven tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles and four pass breakups in 11 games prior to the Rose Bowl. Harrison was named second-team All-Big Ten by the media and third-team All-Big Ten by the conference coaches for his efforts in 2021, when he was also a team captain.
That said, Harrison told reporters in December that he had not accomplished everything he wanted to at Ohio State.
“I feel like there’s definitely some things that I’ve left on the table that I feel like if I come back I can accomplish,” Harrison said.
The deadline for underclassmen to declare for the 2022 NFL draft is Monday.
Assuming Harrison returns, Ohio State would be set to only lose Tyreke Smith and Darrion Henry-Young from last year’s defensive end roster. Javontae Jean-Baptiste and Tyler Friday are both set to return as fifth-year seniors in the position room, and five-star freshmen Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau could both see increased playing time in their second seasons. Other defensive ends vying for playing time will include redshirt junior Cormontae Hamilton, redshirt sophomore Jacolbe Cowan and true freshmen Omari Abor, Caden Curry and Kenyatta Jackson Jr.
