One of the most talked-about prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft, wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. has lofty career expectations to meet. Having been labeled as a generational receiver prospect even before he was draft-eligible, Harrison will headline your dynasty rookie drafts this offseason.
Profile
- College: Ohio State
- Height: 6’3”
- Weight: 202 lbs.
- Age: 21
- Year: Junior
- Draft Projection: Early 1st Round (likely 1.01 option)
College Career
| Season | Games | Receptions | Yards | TD | Rec/Game | Yards per Catch | Yards per Game |
| 2021-22 | 13 | 11 | 139 | 3 | 0.8 | 12.6 | 10.7 |
| 2022-23 | 13 | 77 | 1,263 | 14 | 5.9 | 16.4 | 97.2 |
| 2023-24 | 12 | 67 | 1,211 | 14 | 5.6 | 18.1 | 100.9 |
It’s scary to think that Harrison had his best collegiate season as a sophomore and that he had to wait another season before becoming draft-eligible. Exactly 20 percent of his receptions in college went for touchdowns, a ridiculous stat that shows just how dominant he is.
Having been a part of three very strong Buckeye rosters, Harrison was able to carve out a role early on, which is impressive, considering how stacked their receiver corps typically are. With his dad having a Hall of Fame NFL career, Harrison Jr. is now ready to step out of the shadows of his dad and meet the high expectations.
Strengths
#1 Ball Skills
Hauling in 31 touchdowns in the past three seasons doesn’t just happen for anyone, so Harrison has to be strong in this part of his game. And whichever NFL team drafts him can immediately expect him to be the best ball tracker on their team.
Blessed with soft hands but aggressive hand usage, Harrison consistently will come down with the ball in contested situations. His 6’3” frame lends itself to being in jump ball opportunities at times, which is where you get to see him flex his (hand) muscles.
Marvin Harrison Jr. displaying an ability to just flat out run the DB while battling through some hand fighting, then shows off the ability to find the poorly thrown ball and go and get it. pic.twitter.com/VwVBrD3G8Y
— Jeremy (@PopesFFH) February 24, 2024
#2 Athleticism
Excellent speed is littered all over his game tape as he consistently runs away from his defenders. Combine that with his ability to utilize that speed to pace up or down based on how he’s being covered or his route, and you have an all-around weapon.
It shouldn’t be surprising that Harrison grades out exceptionally well here, with plenty of tape to back that up.
Marvin Harrison Jr is 6’4 205 and man can this kid win in an assortment of ways
— Joe O’Leary (@TheHQNerd) February 17, 2024
-Route Running
-Body Control
-Ball Tracking
-Stems
-Speed
-Tempo
Feel like dynasty people are either bored or forgetting just how damn good this dude is pic.twitter.com/cl8yFlLZgE https://t.co/3GimpcNbpM
#3 Frame Usage
A 6’3” frame affords Harrison the luxury of being taller than most cornerbacks, which plays a big part in winning 50/50 balls. And while there are some concerns about his playing weight and physicality, those issues can be fixed.
Harrison is fantastic at high-pointing the ball, using his frame to box out defenders and position himself for the catch. Mastering that at the college level will make things much easier in the pros, where ball placement will certainly be better more frequently.
Weaknesses
#1 YAC Abilities
It feels weird to not associate yards after the catch with Harrison’s explosiveness, yet he seems to struggle getting past his first defender. While working with an NFL strength and conditioning team will help improve his physicality and strength, it still seems puzzling.
In 2023, Harrison never had a game over 25 yards after the catch, showing that his explosiveness may be limited. This isn’t to say he can’t improve, but if he didn’t showcase this in college, the acclimation may be tougher to the NFL.
#2 Route Running
With his athleticism, it is expected that Harrison is a good route runner. And while he isn’t bad at it, there are nuances to his game that he needs to improve.
While Harrison wins easily on a deep post in the video below, his route isn’t super crisp. The move he puts on his defender is fine, as he utilizes an out-and-up movement to throw off his defender. But this isn’t something NFL corners will fall for, so Harrison must improve his ‘win abilities’ on routes.
Another example of Marvin Harrison Jr cooking cushion with corners playing off ball on this post
— Joe O’Leary (@TheHQNerd) February 20, 2024
Better throw and this is sixpic.twitter.com/D39GtSBbhm https://t.co/bUMWhPfmFQ
Projected Draft Capital & Dynasty Outlook
There are few things to nitpick for Harrison Jr. since he is one of this year’s most complete prospects. While no player is perfect, he is the closest thing to perfection that NFL teams get to pick in April.
Harrison is in the conversation for the top pick, even in a Superflex league. He’s the slam-dunk 1.01 in 1QB formats, and outside of Malik Nabers, there isn’t another WR close to Harrison’s ADP.
If you are in a position to draft Harrison, he should be an auto-pick for you – set it and forget it.
