Now that the 2023 NFL season is over, and the 2024 scouting combine is just around the corner, it’s time to look at 2024 draft prospects with a more critical eye. We will of course have more detailed scouting reports for those prospects as time goes along, but here’s our thumbnail scouting report for Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.
Harrison, thought to be the No. 1 receiver prospect in this class, caught 67 passes on 114 targets for the Buckeyes last season for 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns. On throws of 20 or more air yards, he caught 15 passes on 24 targets for 598 yards and five touchdowns. Harrison is capable of burning defenders on any route, but he ran primarily go, dig, hitch, post, drag, and seam routes.
Here’s our quick scouting report:
PLUSES
— Contested-catch artist who can wriggle out of press coverage by slow-playing cornerbacks and adjusting his moves off the line of scrimmage.
— Has an impeccable understanding of voids in zone/man/match; he’ll become his NFL quarterback’s best friend.
— His release into route stems is absolutely filthy. Basically, covering him all day just sucks.
— Catch radius is also ridiculous. He’ll do as much as any receiver to mitigate inaccurate throws.
MINUSES
— Doesn’t have Tyreek Hill-level burner speed, but it won’t matter because he has so many ways to get open downfield.
— Focus drops can be a problem, even after he’s tied a poor cornerback into knots.
— Could work on blocking.
This is about as ding-proof a draft analysis as I’ll ever do. Harrison is absolutely plug-and-play from Day 1.
Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
PLUSES
— Contested-catch artist who can wriggle out of press coverage by slow-playing cornerbacks and adjusting his moves off the LOS
— Has an impeccable understanding of voids in zone/man/match; he'll become his NFL QB's best friend
— His… pic.twitter.com/IL4lWnOYLk— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) February 21, 2024
