2024 NFL Draft Rookie Profile: WR Marvin Harrison Jr. (Fantasy Football)
The 2024 rookie class is headlined by the strength and depth at the wide receiver position. While there are several high-upside prospects in this class, there should be very little debate regarding the WR1: Marvin Harrison Jr. out of Ohio State. In short, Harrison Jr. possesses one of the most complete profiles in this class, which is evident in both his film and production. Coupled with top-10 draft capital, he projects to be one of the best prospects we have seen in recent history.
Let’s dive into what makes Harrison Jr. such a special prospect entering the 2024 NFL Draft.
Editor’s Note: This article is part of our Rookie Profile series going on until the 2024 NFL Draft. For more on each rookie, check out Andy, Mike, and Jason’s exclusive rookie rankings and the production profiles found only in the Dynasty Pass, part of the UDK+ for 2024.
College Production Profile
Marvin Harrison Jr. was already widely regarded as one of the most talented wide receivers entering his collegiate career. He was a four-star recruit and the 21st-ranked wide receiver in the nation, according to 247 Sports. As a result, he received offers from some of the top programs, including LSU, Florida, and Michigan. However, Harrison Jr. would instead join a very stacked wide receiver room at Ohio State, committing to the Buckeyes in 2020. Since he played behind Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba in his first campaign, he only accounted for 8.1% of the team’s receiving yards (per active game) as a true freshman. While his opportunity was relatively limited, we did see glimpses of his upside by the end of the year as he totaled six receptions, 71 receiving yards, and three touchdowns against Utah in the Rose Bowl.
His breakout would happen shortly after in his sophomore campaign, totaling well over 1,200 receiving yards and averaging 33% of the team’s receiving production in 13 games. Keep in mind that Harrison Jr. was also competing against Emeka Egbuka, who is likely going to be a first-round pick in next year’s class. Despite that, he still produced a 95th-percentile sophomore season, averaging an elite 3.08 Receiving Yards per Team Pass Attempt as the Buckeyes’ WR1.
To add to an already impressive resume, his final season set the bar even higher. As a junior, Harrison Jr. averaged nearly 40% of the team’s receiving production, improving in both receiving yards market share (35.7%) and receiving yards per team pass attempt (3.2). And despite having to adjust to a new quarterback after C.J. Stroud entered the draft, he also improved his efficiency, setting career highs in both yards per touch (17.9) and yards per route run (3.4). Finally, to put his production into perspective, Marvin Harrison Jr. ranks in the 2024 class as the:
- WR1 in Receiving Yards per Team Pass Attempt (2.8)
- WR1 in College PPR per Game (21.2)
- WR1 in Yards per Route Run (3.0)
- WR2 in Weighted Receiving Dominator Rating (30.8%)
In short, Harrison Jr. checks every statistical box we look for in a prospect. Assuming he secures first-round capital, dynasty managers should feel confident in drafting him as the dynasty rookie WR1.
Measurables
Height
Weight
40-yard dash
Vertical
3-Cone
6’3’”
209 lbs
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Marvin Harrison Jr. has had a unique pre-draft process, declining numerous opportunities to showcase his athletic abilities. After opting out of both the NFL Combine and Ohio State’s Pro Day, the only physical measurements available are his height, weight, hand size, and arm length. According to NFL Combine Results, his height of 6’3″ and weight of 209 pounds rank in the 88th and 75th percentile, respectively. Meanwhile, his hand size of 9.5 inches and arm length of 31.9 inches are closer to average, falling within the 50th to 60th percentile. Personally, this does not change my evaluation. Metrics like the 40-yard dash, vertical, or even relative athletic score (RAS) have historically shown very little correlation to fantasy production for wide receivers. In other words, just because a wide receiver scores higher on a combine drill does not improve their likelihood of breaking out in the NFL. As a result, this should not impact our opinion of Harrison Jr. as his body of collegiate work should not be overshadowed by his lack of participation at the combine.
What’s on Tape
As part of my prospect evaluation, I watch between four to six games of film to better understand each player’s strengths and weaknesses. Below are my observations on Marvin Harrison Jr.’s film.
Games Viewed: 2023 vs. Michigan, 2023 vs. Wisconsin, 2023 vs. Minnesota, 2023 vs. Purdue, 2023 vs. Western Kentucky, 2023 vs. Notre Dame
1. Nuanced and Diverse Route Running
One of the strengths of Marvin Harrison Jr.’s game is his route-running ability, finding consistent success regardless of the depth of his route. His quickness, suddenness, and ability to vary his speed allow him to consistently create separation against all types of coverages. Most impressively, he often breaks in and out of his routes without decelerating, leaving the defensive back at a disadvantage. While Harrison Jr. is exceptionally savvy and skilled, his physicality sets him apart from most wide receivers. He uses his hands effectively to avoid pressure, while also using his frame at the catch point to create separation late in his routes. We can see some of these traits in the play below as Harrison Jr. executes the double move, showcasing his elite ability to accelerate as he changes direction. Even with a slightly underthrown ball, he displays outstanding concentration and adjustment to reel in the contested reception.
2. Impressive Catch Radius and Body Control
I alluded to this above, but Harrison Jr.’s physical tools are what make him such a unique prospect. He has the frame and strength that allow him to fight through contact, and elite ball-tracking skills to adjust to any throw. Even against tighter coverage, Harrison Jr. will find a way to beat the defensive back with late adjustments and a relentless pursuit toward the ball. The play below is one of my favorites from his film. On a deep route against Michigan, Harrison Jr. is clearly being dragged down by the defensive back. Despite that, he displays exceptional concentration to complete the one-handed reception through contact.
3. Success Against Both Man and Zone Defense
In the clips above, we clearly see him excel against man coverage. However, Marvin Harrison Jr. shines in zone coverage as well, displaying exceptional awareness that allows him to quickly identify soft spots in the zone and exploit them. His ability to adjust his routes on the fly and his knack for finding open space make him a difficult matchup against the zone. In the following clip against Michigan, he executes the corner route flawlessly, finding the soft spot between two defensive backs for a deep reception.
What’s Not on Tape
1. Abundance of Reps as a Blocker
Because of his role at Ohio State, we rarely saw Marvin Harrison Jr. operate as a blocker. Even on designed runs, the play would often occur on the opposite side of the field. As a result, in the six games that I reviewed, Harrison Jr. received very few opportunities to showcase his ability as a blocker. However, when given the opportunity, he excelled in that role. Using his frame of 6’3” and nearly 210 pounds, he displayed the quickness, strength, and effort to be an effective blocker for his teammates. We see these traits in the play below as Harrison Jr. was tasked with blocking an outside run. If he had not sealed the defensive back, TreVeyon Henderson would not have scored on this play.
2. Consistent Slot Usage
Harrison Jr. primarily operated as an outside receiver for the Ohio State offense. While he occasionally motioned into or lined up in the slot, most of his targets came while he was lined up wide. In fact, Harrison Jr. was lined up outside on nearly 85% of his routes. While he dominated in that role, I do believe he could excel in the slot in the NFL. Especially with his exceptional burst and quickness, Harrison Jr. would be a mismatch nightmare operating in the middle of the field. Ideally, I would love to see him land with an offensive coordinator who will move him around the formation to truly maximize his unique abilities.
Fantasy Outlook
In short, Marvin Harrison Jr. is a truly complete prospect. He produced at an elite level throughout the majority of his collegiate career and will likely receive first-round capital. As a result, my wide receiver prospect model currently has him graded in the 99th percentile, which places him in elite company. For context, only eight wide receivers since 2010 graded at or above the 98th percentile mark in my prospect model:
- Dez Bryant
- Demaryius Thomas
- A.J. Green
- Julio Jones
- Ja’Marr Chase
- Amari Cooper
- Sammy Watkins
- Corey Davis
While Watkins and Davis may have had a slightly disappointing career, this list is still filled with multiple hall-of-fame caliber wide receivers. Assuming he gets selected early in the NFL draft, Marvin Harrison Jr. would be the ninth wide receiver to join this group of elite prospects.
With that in mind, should you expect a breakout campaign in his rookie season? In our dynasty lifecycle series, I highlighted that most breakouts occur within a wide receiver’s first two seasons, with a slightly higher sample size of breakouts in year two. With that being said, I would be shocked if Harrison Jr. was not a top-24 wide receiver right out of the gate as he will likely land on a team with a dire need at receiver. If he gets selected by either the Arizona Cardinals or Los Angeles Chargers, he should receive plenty of targets in his rookie season. Barring an injury or an unexpected landing spot, dynasty managers can expect Marvin Harrison Jr. to be an immediate contributor to their dynasty teams.