An NFL profession hasn’t modified Malik Harrison a lot.
The Baltimore Raven and former Buckeye linebacker nonetheless attends the identical summer season occasions he all the time does in his native Columbus through the offseason, and he was notably busy on the town this previous weekend. Harrison hosted a youth soccer camp at Hamilton Township Excessive Faculty on Saturday, went to Braxton Miller’s camp on the Ohio State campus the subsequent day, after which appeared within the Kingdom League at Ohio Dominican College shortly after.
Harrison has been taking part in the summertime basketball event for the reason that occasion’s inception, and that did not change earlier than his third 12 months within the NFL.
“Each time I come right here at the moment it’s all the time the identical. I have been coming to the Kingdom League because it began,” stated Harrison. eleven warriors Sunday. “I really like this occasion as a result of it brings everybody to have enjoyable and watch basketball.
“There are lots of gamers (with whom I’m good), I may even play tonight. I would even gown up for the final sport,” Harrison joked. However there are a variety of gamers there that I used to play with or was fascinated about rising up; Jared Sullinger, (Javon) Bess, there are lots of people there. There’s a variety of guys I’ve performed with and I all the time come again and simply present up.”
Jared Sullinger and Evan Ravenel met on the Kingdom League courtroom: pic.twitter.com/Qahf9kk0yt
—Griffin Strom (@GriffinStrom3) July 17, 2022
As for the NFL, Harrison stated it has lived as much as all of his expectations. Harrison was chosen with the 98th choose within the third spherical of the 2020 draft and began six of his 16 rookie appearances with the Ravens. Harrison completed the 12 months with 44 whole tackles and one deal with for loss, and even managed to begin 5 video games in his second season regardless of lacking time after being hit by a stray bullet final November.
“It is the whole lot I dreamed of, being drafted within the third spherical, simply getting it executed. I nonetheless do not realize I am within the NFL,” Harrison stated. “Even after I put the shirt on, I am like, ‘Wow, that is what I all the time dreamed of.’ However apart from that, it is the whole lot he hoped for. I am lovin ‘it. I simply have to remain there.
Harrison is not the one Buckeye on the Ravens’ roster. John Harbaugh and firm additionally chosen Ohio State operating again JK Dobbins who set information a spherical sooner than Harrison within the 2020 NFL draft. Dobbins missed all of final season with a torn ACL sustained in preseason however had an impressive rookie marketing campaign that noticed him lead all operating backs within the NFL with a median of six yards per carry.
It is no shock that the previous Buckeyes have stood by each other by means of the ups and downs of their transition to the subsequent degree.
“It is loopy. So on draft day, he was drafted first after which I used to be drafted within the third spherical. As quickly as I used to be drafted, I referred to as him and we have been excited,” Harrison stated. “This 12 months he is recovering from his harm, he is going robust. I can not look ahead to him to come back again.”
The Ravens chosen JK Dobbins and Malik Harrison within the first three rounds of the 2020 NFL draft. (Photograph: Katie Stratman – USA TODAY Sports activities)
They’ve additionally dropped former Buckeye large receiver Binjimen Victor from the Ravens’ roster to reminisce about previous occasions, however Harrison stated he nonetheless stays related to the Ohio State program by means of all of it.
Harrison could not know each participant on the present roster, however he makes positive to supply his steering when he meets them at occasions like Miller’s final weekend.
“Yearly new guys are available in, so whoever the brand new particular person is or no matter, I nonetheless have guys that I performed with after I was at Ohio State, so I be in contact with them and discuss to them,” Harrison stated. “For brand new guys, I all the time introduce myself and say, ‘Should you want any recommendation or something that is happening within the metropolis,’ as a result of I am from right here, so should you want something, simply give me a name and I am going to deal with it.
From what Harrison has seen of Buckeye’s 2022 roster, he thinks Ohio State has shot at successful the nationwide championship in January. That is not precisely a novel thought, although, as Harrison expects his alma mater to contend for the title each season.
” me, yearly I’ll assume they are going to win all of it,” Harrison stated. “Ohio State, they’ve a robust workforce, they only need to make issues work. As soon as issues work out, hopefully we’ll get a championship this 12 months. I believed we have been going to have one two years in the past, so I used to be rooting for them the entire time. Individuals (from the Ravens) have been making an attempt to wager me; I am like, ‘I’ll go along with my guys.’”
For the Buckeyes to win all of it, they’ll possible have to beat their season-opening problem on September 3: a primetime showdown with Marcus Freeman and the Notre Dame Combating Irish. However Harrison expects Ohio State to have little hassle with that hurdle.
“Oh yeah, we’ll blow them up. That is my prediction, we’ll blow them up,” Harrison stated. “It is Notre Dame, it’ll be an incredible sport. I want I may go to a sport as a result of I have never been to a sport in a very long time. The final time I used to be with the workforce was on the spring sport, so I hope I get an opportunity to go to the sport.
“That first sport goes to be good, however we’re going to win it. We are going to win.