2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Marvin Harrison

Prospect Summary:

Being the son and junior of one of the greatest wide receivers in NFL history will automatically bestow sky-high expectations upon a prospect. But Marvin Harrison Jr. lived up to the hype in 2022 with a breakout sophomore season. As the No. 1 receiver for C.J. Stroud, Harrison recorded 77 receptions for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns. In 2021, Harrison was stuck behind a trio of future first-round picks in Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Harrison totaled 11 catches for 139 yards that seaspm.

In 2023, Ohio State’s passing attack was not as dynamic due to breaking in a new quarterback. However, Harrison was superb and was one of the best players in the sport. He recorded 67 catches on the year for 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns.

The passing-driven nature of the NFL leaves teams always on the look out for potential No. 1 wide receivers, and Harrison has that ability for the next level. With a great skill set alongisde feel, instincts, and natural playmaking ability, Harrison looks like he has the potential to be stud receiver in the NFL.

With his dynamic skill set, there are a variety of ways for Harrison to shred a defense. Automatically, Harrison gives cornerbacks problems due to his size. Given his height, length and leaping ability, Harrison is never truly covered. Even when corners run with him, Harrison is extremely skilled at winning contested catches. He will make use of his size to get position, and he out-battles corners for jump balls. Harrison is a tremendous red-zone weapon with his ability to high point the football and win 50-50 passes. Thanks to his size and body control, Harrison is fantastic on fade routes and back-shoulder receptions along the sideline. To along with his size, Harrison has strong hands, which he naturally uses to make the catch.

Harrison is not a big-bodied receiver who can’t run either. He shows a nice burst out of his breaks to get separation from cornerbacks with a second gear to dart for extra yardage after the catch. Many big receivers are not as twitchy or flexible as Harrison is. He will dodge and juke defenders in the open field, and he uses that ability to get off the line of scrimmage when seeing press-man coverage. With enough speed to get vertical, Harrison attacks defenses at every level and is a threat to make big plays downfield.

Whether it was innate or he was taught by his father, Harrison is an advanced route-runner. Many big receivers struggle to run routes as fluidly as Harrison does. He has lower body flexibility and can sink his hips to turn quickly. Harrison’s natural ability and instincts can be seen with him showing late hands to trick defenders when their back is turned, and he tracks the ball extremely down the field. Harrison is simply a natural football player.

WalterFootball.com spoke with sources from eight NFL teams, and they all had Harrison graded as a “blue” – or elite – prospect, but none of them said he graded out as highly as Calvin Johnson, and some said Andre Johnson graded higher as well. Here are some of the quotes on how some team sources viewed Harrison:

One NFC Director of Player Personnel told WalterFootball.com:

Marvin has elite caliber ability. Calvin’s length, hands, contested catch were elite. Marvin is more polished coming out of college and is a better route runner. Andre’s blue traits were size, strength, hands. Marvin’s ball skills are elite, and he has good hands. To me, Marvin’s comp is Tee Higgins. Tee is long, athletic, loose, good hands and ball skills. Marvin is excellent route polish, length, body control, separation, ball skills. They are similar dimensions; Tee is a hair taller and has longer arms. Both are long targets that can separate with athleticism.

An AFC General Manager said, “Harrison is special, but not like Calvin or Andre. He’s similar to CeeDee Lamb but stronger, more power, and faster.”

One AFC National Scout shared, “Guys like Calvin are generational. I don’t see Harrison like that, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be one of the top players today. I think the ‘generational talent’ gets thrown around too easily these days.”

Harrison looks destined to become a top-five pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He is a favorite to be the first non-quarterback taken. Harrison looks like a future No. 1 receiver who has All-Pro potential for the NFL.