Viewed as a mortal lock to be one of the first players selected in the 2024 draft, Marvin Harrison Jr. has made his entry official. After skipping Ohio State’s bowl game, the draft’s top wide receiver prospect announced Thursday he will be part of this year’s prospect pool.
The son of Colts legend Marvin Harrison, the ex-Buckeyes superstar will undoubtedly be chosen before his father, who went 19th overall in the 1996 draft. Although this draft class is expected to produce another deep haul of receivers, Harrison has long resided as the top draft-eligible wideout.
Ohio State has become a wide receiver factory in recent years. The Big Ten power has produced the likes of Michael Thomas, Terry McLaurin, Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The latter trio all went in the first round between the 2022 and 2023 drafts. Harrison should be expected to be chosen earlier than all his former receiver teammates.
Playing behind Wilson, Olave and Smith-Njigba as a freshman in 2021, Harrison became the Buckeyes’ top weapon as a sophomore. Smith-Njigba’s nagging hamstring injury thrust Harrison and fellow draft-eligible performer Emeka Egbuka to the forefront. Both delivered, with Harrison separating himself as a prospect quickly. Harrison eclipsed 1,200 yards in each of his final two college seasons and caught 14 touchdown passes in both years.
The Philadelphia native came to Columbus as a four-star prospect. His father, a Syracuse product, was part of a loaded 1996 receiver draft that featured Terrell Owens, Terry Glenn, Keyshawn Johnson, Amani Toomer, Eric Moulds, Muhsin Muhammad and others. The Colts icon was the fourth receiver drafted that year. It would be shocking if his son was not the first 28 years later. At 6-foot-4, the younger Harrison stands four inches taller than his father, who sailed to the Hall of Fame as Peyton Manning‘s go-to target.
Mel Kiper Jr.’s ESPN.com big board lists the younger Harrison second only to likely No. 1 pick Caleb Williams. Although prospects like Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels may be candidates to be chosen ahead of Harrison due to the quarterback importance, a top-five landing spot appears likely.
It would be ironic if he went to patriots and his dad had to wear patriots gear lol
Please happen! Take MHJ at 1-3 then whatever QB is left at 2-3 (or trade up until the end of rd 1 for the QB).
If you don’t have a franchise QB, you do not pass up the opportunity to draft one when you have a high pick, especially top 5. It costs way too much to move up from farther down or buy a marginal one on the open market. There are way more serviceable WRs out there than QBs.
If Williams and Maye go 1 and 2, then I’d rather the Pats take MHJ. None of the other QBs should go 3rd overall.
So you aren’t a fan of Daniels going in the top 3? Not saying you’re wrong, just wanted to see what you thought about Daniels.
Recent scrambling Heisman QB’s haven’t done anything in the NFL.
Guess no one has heard of Lamar Jackson?????
First round and top pick QB’s from 2021 include: Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, Justin Fields, and Mac Jones. There’s only one of them who has played his draft position and some complain about Lawrence too.
In 2018, Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen, and Lamar Jackson was much better but also a crap shoot. Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson were hits, Baker Mayfield a maybe, Darnold and Rosen a train wreck.
Picking QB’s at the top of the draft doesn’t appear to be a formula for success. Being QB for one of the worst franchises in the league appears to be a recipe for disaster in life (ask Andrew Luck, ask RGIII, ask Baker Mayfield).
Man this guy sure would look good in a Bears uniform.
He’s 6’4 so he’d be harder for Fields to overthrow
then draft arch in two years.
Cardinals are calling his name
His career will prove to be the best of the draft.
I’m looking at QBs drafted in the 1st round from 2014 through 2020 (to allow enough time for development) and, being generous, I count 11 of 23 as no-question busts. Why does everyone, every year, think every rookie QB is going to succeed? I guarantee every one of the busts, at one time, all were thought of that potential franchise QB. So, Trubisky, then Fields, and now the next one? All in the span of 7 years?
The real problem is that head coaches generally don’t have enough leash be patient with their young quarterbacks. If the franchise ins’t turned around after two seasons, the coaches’ shelf life starts to affect decisions. Then a new coach comes in and it’s rinse and repeat moving on from that second or third year quarterback.
Nobody outside of Pittsburgh thought Pickett was a potential franchise quarterback. It just took Steeler fans 2 years to admit it
Could you imagine how bad it must suck if you had the ability to be a a absolute stud WR but had to be drafted by a terrible team like the Pats?