The Jets’ breakout player of 2013 has been nose tackle Damon Harrison through the first three games.
Harrison was not even projected to start this year, but gained the role in training camp when Kenrick Ellis was down with an injured back. Ellis should look up who Wally Pipp was.
No one on the Jets has made a bigger splash than Harrison this season. He is dominating the line of scrimmage and has given the Jets a push up the middle they have not seen since Sione Po’uha was healthy. He caused a fumble on Sunday that was negated by a penalty and blew by Bills center Eric Wood several times.
Former general manager Mike Tannenbaum and the college scouting department deserve a lot of credit for finding Harrison at tiny William Penn University. The Jets signed him as an undrafted free agent and he was one of the final players to make the team in 2012. Last season basically served as “redshirt” year for Harrison as he only played in five games. It was clear in training camp Harrison was ready to make a leap this season, but even his biggest supporters have to be surprised at how big the leap has been so far.
Harrison is surrounded by first-round picks on the defensive line, but he is more than holding his own with them.