Marvin Harrison Jr, one of the most electric players in college football. If the Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr rings a bell that would be because his dad, Marvin Harrison Sr, was a legendary wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts. As a matter of fact Marvin Harrison Sr was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016; although I would not be surprised if Marvin Harrison Jr joins his father in Canton, Ohio one day.
Saying Marvin Harrison Jr can make it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day is a bold statement especially since he is still in college at Ohio State University; however he is truly a one of one player. I could sit here and tell you how his route running, hands, athleticism, etc are all off the charts, but instead I am going to let the stats tell you. As a Sophomore Harrison had 1,263 receiving yards, 77 receptions, and 14 touchdowns! Harrison’s advanced stats are also mental. His contested catch rate is 60%, drop percentage is 3.4% and doing all this with 86.3% of all snaps lined up outside (not a slot merchant). Keep in mind he is a Sophomore. It is also worth mentioning that Ohio State has arguably been the best school at producing Wide Receivers in the past five years. Some star NFL wide receivers include Terry McLaurin, Chris Olave, and Garrett Wilson. It is clear the numbers and trends point toward Marvin Harrison Jr being special in the NFL.
In this year's NFL draft Harrison’s teammate Jaxon Smith-Njigba was drafted 20th overall: although many thought he should have been taken way higher. In an interview with Pat Forde, a journalist for sports illustrated, Mr. Forde confidently stated he thought Marvin Harrison Jr was better than Jaxon Smith-Njigba. It is also worth mentioning Pat Forde hinted that NFL teams had character and health concerns with Smith-Njigba. As for Harrison Jr, all reports say the opposite. Harrison Jr being a top 10 pick is looking like a lock.
A big question for Harrison Jr is if his play will worsen after the loss of CJ Stroud (Former Ohio State QB taken 2nd overall by Houston). The replacement for Stroud is Kyle McCord, who was actually teammates with Harrison at St. Joseph high school in Philadelphia. I don’t expect Harrison’s play to worsen, but instead take a leap forward as this is his first year as the preseason WR1 for the Buckeyes. I also would be shocked if Ohio State head coach Ryan Day didn't make Harrison the vocal point of the offense. With all of this being said it is clear Marvin Harrison Jr is set up to ball out for the Buckeyes.
Vegas also views Harrison Jr highly as Marvin Harrison Jr has the highest non QB odds to win the heisman. Harrison Jr has high expectations especially for a 20 year old. With that being said I fully believe he is up for the challenge. No other WR rivals his talent this year in college football and Ohio State is a perfect situation for him to reach his full potential. So when all is said and done 30 years from now don’t be surprised if Marvin Harrison Jr is wearing a gold jacket in Canton.
- C Duncan