Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. is a generational talent near the level of prospects like Calvin Johnson and Julio Jones. He will undoubtedly be selected in the top 10 of the 2024 NFL Draft. His name may also sound familiar. Let’s dive into Harrison’s past and his father’s Hall of Fame career.
Marvin Harrison Jr.’s Father and Career
Marvin Harrison Jr.’s name is not merely a coincidence. His dad is, in fact, the Hall of Fame NFL receiver of the same name.
The elder Harrison was selected with the No. 19 overall pick in the 1996 NFL Draft. Harrison was an old rookie at age 24, which probably helped him be effective right out of the gate. However, it wasn’t until his fourth season at age 27 that he emerged into the Harrison us “olds” all remember so fondly.
From 1999 to 2002, Harrison caught over 100 passes each season, bookending that stretch with leading the NFL in receiving yards.
Across his career, Harrison amassed 1,102 receptions for 14,580 yards and 128 touchdowns. He’s ninth all-time in career receiving yards, fifth all-time in receptions, and fifth in receiving touchdowns. He’s one of just 14 receivers in NFL history to have more than 1,000 career receptions.
Along the way to earning a golden jacket, Harrison earned eight Pro Bowl bids and three All-Pro nods. From 1999 to 2006, Harrison was a first- or second-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowl selection every season. He also won a Super Bowl with Peyton Manning and Tony Dungy in 2006.
Harrison Jr. was born in August of 2002, ahead of Harrison’s age-30 season, in which he caught a career-high (and then-record) 143 passes for 1,722 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Can Harrison Jr. Follow His Father’s Footsteps in the 2024 NFL Draft?
Naturally, Harrison’s legacy as a Hall of Famer looms large for the 2024 NFL Draft. It certainly helps that the Ohio State product is the son of one of the greatest receivers in NFL history. However, his dad is not the reason Harrison Jr. is going in the top 10. Harrison Jr. earned that himself.
Many regard Harrison Jr. as the unquestioned WR1 in the 2024 NFL Draft class and a generational prospect at his position. He will be selected earlier than his father.
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At the root of Harrison Jr.’s profile is his high-level physical foundation. At 6’4″, 205 pounds, he’s a lean, explosive athlete with insane flexibility and nuance as a route runner, and he’s also a superb contested-catch threat who can dominate defenders with his sense of timing and wingspan.
In Harrison Jr.’s scouting report, Cummings said the following about his grade — a relevant excerpt given his father’s success: “He projects as an impactful, attention-drawing X receiver out of the gate in the NFL, who also has the versatility to play the movement Z spot. And he has the combined physical talent and attention to detail to support an All-Pro ceiling.”
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