Marvin Harrison Jr. Possession Receiver or Home Run Hitter?

Ohio State wide receiver (WR) Marvin Harrison Jr. has a huge reputation heading into the 2024 NFL Draft.

Partially, that reputation is based on being the son of Hall of Fame WR Marvin Harrison Sr. who played for the Indianapolis Colts from 1996-2008. Even more so, because of what he has done himself on the football field.

While Harrison’s official 40-yard-dash time prior to the draft will not be known until the NFL Scouting Combine and his pro day, his official time coming out of high school according to espn.com was 4.60.

That is what it looked like on game film in 2022.

It was challenging for Harrison to get deep against higher-level competition. Maybe he gained a step deep. Against Michigan, it took him giving a slight nudge to the corner to gain that step and catch a 42-yard-touchdown.

That was one of two plays of 30+ yards in these six games studied.

The other one was a longer developing 31-yard touchdown pass he caught in the end zone against Georgia with a corner draped all over him as he was working slightly back to the ball.

All the rest of the catches were mostly him masterfully working secondaries in the intermediate route level. He’s not much in the department of yardage after the catch, so short bubble screens weren’t too effective either.

How will his football-playing speed look against even faster NFL corners?

First-Round Value No. 20 overall?

When comparing Harrison to past Ohio State receivers in the last couple of drafts, Garrett Wilson went No. 10, Chris Olave No. 11, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba went No. 20.

Wilson is a jack-of-all-trades and master of all, Olave’s claim to fame is burning speed, while Smith-Njigba is a possession receiver who will own the intermediate route level in the NFL.

When properly calculating value, Harrison is the most similar to Smith-Njigba. Harrison can’t do what Garrett can do after the catch on bubble screens and he doesn’t have his deep game. He certainly can’t run like Olave can.

No C.J. Stroud

The plot thickens with the departure of precision placement passer C.J. Stroud to the NFL (2023 No. 2 overall to HOU). I am very interested to see how this affects Harrison’s stat line. Stroud (69.3%) had the second-highest completion percentage next to quarterback (QB) Mac Jones (74.3%) in the past three drafts of first-round QBs.

Harrison not only showed very average-looking run after the catch production, but also he has a decent (but not great) catch radius outside of his natural big-frame target area.

Harrison didn’t look elusive running with the ball in the open field and he wasn’t jumping out of a gym making circus catches in this film study.

If QB Kyle McCord starts, the two played high school football together, but he has only 58 career college passing attempts.

The Indianapolis Colts select…

The question also begs to be asked if Harrison will not follow his dad’s footsteps to the Colts?

We saw this dynamic in the 2023 NFL Draft when cornerback Joey Porter Jr. followed in his dad’s footsteps to the Steelers.

Just food for thought.

#18 Marvin Harrison Jr. 6-foot-4, 205 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s Summer 2023 Grade: First-Round (I would select him)

Projected by 95.4% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of July 21, 2023 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

2022 game film reviewed: Penn State, Iowa, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Michigan, and Georgia (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2022 stats: 77 receptions for 1,263 yards (16.4 avg.) and 14 TD

NFL comparable: Keyshawn Johnson

2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Muscular receiver with strong hands who dominates the intermediate route level. Uses his big frame and initial quickness to quickly achieve inside route leverage. His best routes are inside slants, comebacks, and curl routes using his frame to box out corners. Can plant his foot and go while accelerating at breakpoints. Phenomenal ability to adjust. Physical with corners. Shows excellent concentration. Struggles to gain separation on outside releases. Did show an inclination to work to get open when QB is in trouble. Tends to jump unnecessarily to secure a catch when the ball comes in high, which limits his yardage after the catch.

What to watch for during the 2023 college football season

1. Stat line with a new inexperienced QB?

2. Ability to get deep?

3. Does he still jump when he doesn’t have to?

4. Yardage after the catch?

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, contributes at Yardbarker, and has written for Sports Illustrated Lions, Jets, and 49ers, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. He can be followed on Twitter @firstroundmock.