Is Marvin Harrison Jr. the Best NFL Draft WR Prospect Ever?

Son of a Pro Football Hall of Famer. Stud WR1 for WRU. Dominating Top 100 NFL Draft picks. The list of accolades for Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. are bountiful. But is Marvin Harrison Jr. the best NFL Draft WR prospect ever? I will dissect it below as we look toward the Marvin Harrison Jr. NFL Draft hype growing.

A few months ago, I posted my Best prospects of all-time (since 2004). At WR, it was topped by Calvin Johnson (2007), Larry Fitzgerald (2004) AJ Green/Julio Jones (2011) and Ja’Marr Chase (2021).

Athleticism

To be the best WR prospect ever, MHJ needs to match up to the athleticism of past top prospects. Calvin Johnson was the most athletic WR ever running a 4.35 at 6’5 and 239 pounds. Listed at 6’4 and 205 pounds, Harrison Jr. won’t hit those numbers. But, he may compare to guys like Fitzgerald and Green pretty well.

On Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List, Harrison Jr. came in at #2 with a 10’8 Broad, 3.94 shuttle, and looks to run in the mid 4.3s. It may not put him in Calvin and Julio territory, but he will be fairly close. Expect a 97 percentile athlete, similar to AJ Green coming out.   

Production

After a 6 catch, 71 yard and 3 TD performance in the Rose Bowl as a true freshman, Harrison Jr. took the mantle as the Buckeyes #1 WR. Last season, he totaled 77 receptions for 1263 yards and 14 TDs. The production compares favorably to past WRs, though MHJ plays in a much friendlier system than Johnson or Jones did. Despite a new QB under center, Harrison could improve on his elite production and be up there with top past producers like Fitzgerald. 

Skillset

Not only is MHJ athletic, but he does the little things well. Utilizing his head and hips to sell DBs on one route while transitioning to another is unmatched. His footwork in and out of breaks is so clean and sharp that he is difficult to mirror. The hand usage on jams with his long reach makes almost every type of CB struggle. Add in body control and leaping ability, and he is near perfection as a prospect. In terms of pure film, MHJ is one of the best ever.

Marvin Harrison Jr. NFL Draft Capital

Per the NFL Mock Draft Database, consensus mock drafts have Harrison Jr. going #2 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. If that happens, he will be only the second WR since 2004 to go in the top two of the draft (Calvin Johnson in 2007 being the other).   

How Good is Marvin Harrison Jr.?  

At this point, Harrison Jr. is an elite prospect. A big time athlete with production and a high film grade is deserving of a top five pick. Despite this, we can’t proclaim Marvin Harrison Jr. NFL Draft top WR ever. The sheer size and athleticism of Calvin Johnson is hard to beat. But, with a great year, Harrison Jr. can pass Ja’Marr Chase to be on par with AJ Green, Julio Jones, and maybe even Larry Fitzgerald. That is high praise to be in the conversation with Hall of Famers. But, if he dominates the Big Ten again, the sky is the limit.

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