NEWSLETTER
We all knew it was only a matter of time, but now it’s officially official: Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is heading to the NFL. Harrison announced his decision to enter the 2024 NFL Draft class on social media this afternoon.
It was expected that Harrison would skip the Buckeyes’ Cotton Bowl loss to Missouri, which ultimately confirmed his decision to opt out of his remaining eligibility. Harrison is predicted to be the first non-quarterback drafted and possibly the first overall pick.
Earlier in December, Harrison expressed his doubts about the decision. He was a Heisman Trophy finalist, finishing fourth, and also won the Biletnikoff Award as the country’s top receiver. However, he was yet to be on a Buckeye team that had managed to beat Michigan or win a Big Ten championship.
Despite being the focus of opposing defenses, Harrison caught 67 passes for 1,211 receiving yards, with an average of 18.1 yards per catch and 14 touchdowns this season, all thanks to his high school teammate Kyle McCord.
Marvin Harrison Jr. is heading to the NFL!
Harrison emerged as a budding star in the Rose Bowl as a freshman. He started in that game because receivers Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson chose not to play in that game to protect against injury as they entered the NFL draft. Harrison caught three touchdown passes in Ohio State’s comeback victory over Utah. Now Harrison will join Olave and Wilson as first-round picks in the NFL Draft in April.
The Chicago Bears own the first pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and have been connected to Harrison all season. As of now, what the Bears will do with the No. 1 pick in the draft is very much up in the air. Chicago has decided to return Matt Eberflus as the head coach in 2024 but hasn’t decided on much else.
The Bears are searching for new coordinators on both sides of the ball and don’t have a clear plan regarding the quarterback position. If the Bears kept Justin Fields as their starting quarterback, then Harrison would be a terrific weapon to add to the offense.
However, that would more than likely mean that the Bears didn’t trade the No. 1 overall selection, and that doesn’t seem likely. At this point it’s probably either going to be a quarterback or a trade back for the Bears at No. 1 overall. But I wouldn’t be mad if they pivoted and went with Harrison.
