Anton Harrison is expected to make his first NFL start at left tackle when the Jacksonville Jaguars open the 2026 regular season against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday at EverBank Stadium. Harrison discussed his return to the position and the team’s outlook during the 2026 Week 1 edition of the O-Zone Podcast with senior writer John Oehser.
Harrison is entering his fourth NFL season after the Jacksonville Jaguars selected him No. 27 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. He played left tackle at the University of Oklahoma before moving to right tackle during his first three NFL seasons. The Jaguars moved him back to left tackle during 2026 Training Camp.
“Left tackle is home,” Harrison said. “I wasn’t obsessed by it. I’ve learned to love right tackle, too. I played that the last three years. I felt comfortable. I had no problem staying at right tackle or moving to left tackle. Coaches felt comfortable doing it and they made the decision to do it.”
Harrison said the move began to feel natural when he returned to padded practice at left tackle. “The first padded practice I was at left tackle I was like, ‘OK, I might be back home now,’” he said.
Jacksonville Jaguars offensive line takes shape
Cole Van Lanen, who finished the previous season as the starting left tackle after starting at multiple offensive line positions, is expected to start at right tackle when healthy. The Jacksonville Jaguars are also expected to start Robert Hainsey at center, Ezra Cleveland at right guard and Emmanuel Pregnon at left guard.
“We feel good,” Harrison said of the offensive line. “We’re really close. Everything we do, we do it together. We know what we’re good at and bad at. If someone’s having a bad morning, we can tell because of how much we’ve been together.”
Harrison said the group’s familiarity helps the offensive linemen recognize problems and support one another. “That’s a good thing when the offensive line is that tight. The coaching staff wants to put the best five out there. That’s their job and that’s what they do.”
Jacksonville Jaguars focus shifts from AFC South Championship
The Jacksonville Jaguars enter the opener after winning the AFC South Championship the previous season, but Harrison said the team must establish its standard in a new season. “Everybody’s excited to go. All the talk is over now. It’s time to go put up or shut up, really. We can grow from last year. We had a good year. But last year’s last year. This is a new team. We kept a lot of the same guys, but it’s a new team and new year.”
“We have to play to our standard. If we do that, we’ll be fine,” Harrison said.
Source: Original report