Marvin Harrison Jr. Scouting Report

By: Michael Higgins

(Image Courtesy of Darren Lee/Cal Sport Media)

School: Ohio State

Class: Junior

Position: WR

HT: 6’4

WT: 205 lbs

Sideline Prospect Ranking: #1

Background: Marvin Harrison Jr. is a former top-100 recruit in the country who was heavily recruited out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Harrison attended St. Joseph’s Prep School, where he was given a consensus 4-star rating. He was the top-ranked receiver in the state of Pennsylvania. His father is, as you have probably heard, Hall of Fame wide receiver Marvin Harrison. Having a Hall of Fame father comes with unfairly high expectations, yet Harrison Jr. may be one of the rare players that exceeds those expectations. He has grown up around the game and the expectations and media do not seem to phase him in the slightest. Out of high school, Harrison ultimately chose to commit to Ohio State over schools such as Arkansas and Michigan.

College: As a freshman, Harrison made an immediate impact on a star-studded Buckeyes’ offense that included Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Garrett Wilson. Even with the depth at his position, Harrison was still able to put his fingerprints on every game and impress with the opportunities he was given. As a sophomore, he was the main option in that Ohio State offense that went all the way to the college football playoff. He won Big 10 Receiver of the Year honors as well as being a unanimous First Team All-American selection. Unfortunately, in Marvin’s last year at Ohio State, he was the victim of some pretty horrendous quarterback play. While he still put up monster numbers, numerous missed throws prevented Harrison from putting up more production.

Strengths: Harrison may be the single greatest wide receiver prospect to ever come out of college. He is a jack of all trades who can really mold into any type of receiver. He can beat defensive backs with speed, physicality, precise route running, or a mix of everything. His ability to create separation is second to none as he has a full route tree at his disposal. His hook and curl routes jump out as his strong suit as he does not shuffle his feet before the break, creating less time for the defensive back to react. Harrison also has the ability to haul in just about any football. His catch radius is large and he seemingly makes one or two impossible catches every game. His elite athleticism allows him to get anywhere on the field and make just about any play on the ball. Marvin is also a willing blocker as he has no problem winning the battle in open space against defenders to create a hole for the ball carrier. His physicality and strength allow for him to break free of tacklers and make a play after the catch.

Weaknesses: Harrison’s list of weaknesses is almost impossible to create. Harrison does tend to telegraph whether the play is pass or run. On run plays, he is not as deep in his stance, seemingly telling the defense that the ball is not coming his way. This also applies to halfback screens as well.

Conclusion: Marvin Harrison Jr. projects as a generational wide receiver talent from a school that has a history of producing them. He will instantly go to a team and be their WR1.

Scheme Fit: Scheme Versatile

Ideal Role: X Receiver

Best Team Fits: ARI, CAR, LAC

Player Comparison: Julio Jones

Player Grade: 99.4