Why Jonotthan Harrison Will Make The Colts Roster
By Cody Felger
Former Indianapolis Colts starting center Jonotthan Harrison has had his ups and downs in two seasons as the team’s center. From bad snaps to flashes of potential, Harrison has been all over the map.
Next for Harrison? A change of positions and a chance to contribute in a different way. During OTA’s in May, Harrison was receiving first-team reps at right guard with Hugh Thornton and Denzelle Good sitting out.
Outside of OTA’s, Harrison has not seen much action at guard. The only other time where Harrison has had any experience other than center is a few quarters in 2014.
Other than that, the guard position is a whole new experience to Harrison:
"Nov 29, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) shakes hands with center Jonotthan Harrison (72) after the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Lucas Oil Stadium. Indianapolis defeats Tampa Bay 25-12. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports“It’s a little different,” Harrison said in May about playing guard.“A little more space, sighting different rules. Playing center, I understand all the rules at all the positions. It’s just going to take practice, film study, correcting myself and just working on any weaknesses that I may have at the position.”"
While he is still learning the ropes at guard, there is a good possibility that Harrison makes the roster at his newfound position.
At 6’3″, 311 pounds, Harrison has ideal size for a guard. He also has tremendous strength and all the physical attributes to be a successful player in the NFL. Harrison now has to work on being consistent, which was a big reason why he was benched in 2013 in favor of A.Q. Shipley and why the Colts chose to draft Ryan Kelly in the first round of this year’s draft.
Another reason why Harrison could more than likely make the final roster is his durability. Last year, Harrison was active for all 16 games, making 9 starts.
Harrison also adds versatility as he can play any position along the interior of the offensive line. The Colts are a team that really values that type of versatility and love to keep players who can do multiple things to help the team.
My reasoning for why I believe Harrison will make a successful transition to guard is the fact that he is still young (24) and is open to a position change. Another reason is that guard, while important to the team, is not the focal point of responsibilities along the line, so there’s not as much added pressure. The reduction of pressure could be huge in building up Harrison’s confidence as a young player.
Overall, I believe that this move is good for Harrison. The reason why this move is helpful to his development is because now, instead of worrying about when to snap the ball, calling huddles, and being “the guy,” Harrison can work on his technique and pour all his focus into becoming the best guard he can be. A lot of the pressure is now off of him.
Also, the Colts have a very good left guard in Jack Mewhort who can help ease the transition to guard for Harrison.
Not to mention, new offensive line coach Joe Philbin can potentially help Harrison grow as a player by improving his overall technique and skill-set.
As Harrison continues to grow into the guard position, it will interesting to watch how he progresses, especially at Training Camp. Keep your eye on Harrison these next few weeks. I know I will.