Marvin Harrison Jr. lets tape do his talking. Is this new normal for NFL Draft? | Habib
Receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. made news Wednesday for reasons that barely affect Marvin Harrison Jr.
Harrison, son of the Hall of Fame receiver, opted to sit out Ohio State’s pro day after skipping workouts at the NFL combine. Harrison essentially is telling NFL teams that if they want to know what type of player they’ll be getting, they can turn on the tape.
And he’s right. He still might be the first receiver to be drafted. He certainly won’t be worse than the second. His tape is that good. He is that good.
So this isn’t really about Harrison. It’s about whether his approach to this year’s draft is breaching a whole new territory for future players who can copy his blueprint simply because they know they can. Remember when players began skipping bowl games to avoid gambling their future against injury? If you already know you’re a first-rounder, and working out at the combine or pro day offers little or no upside and plenty of downside, why gamble now?
You’ve heard of Generation X and Generation Z? Meet Generation NIL.
Or, what some NFL scouts call the “opt-out” generation.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported that Harrison met with NFL teams in Indianapolis, asked nine of them if there’s anything more they need to know about him and was told no nine times. Harrison may have ruffled feathers when his media session at the combine was canceled at the last minute, but those who know him say anyone painting him as the ultimate diva receiver couldn’t be more off base. Not to mention, oh, yes, there are those impeccable genes he got from Dad.
Ex-Miami Dolphins receiver Brian Hartline: Marvin Harrison Jr. very coachable
Harrison’s position coach with the Buckeyes was Brian Hartline, the former Dolphins 1,000-yard receiver, who found himself challenging Harrison to find new ways to perfect his skills.
“When I challenge him mentally or I see a chink in the armor or he’s doubting himself in any type of way, I’ve attacked that doubt, or I try to,” Hartline told The Athletic. “And I see if he takes it and runs with it and he does.”
Still, it hasn’t stopped some from taking shots. There has been speculation he’s afraid to run the 40 because he’ll post a slow time — as if any decent scout can’t, well, turn on the tape and see his speed is adequate enough to devour the kind of competition the Buckeyes faced. (Harrison had more than 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns each of the past two seasons.) Another theory is it’s all part of Harrison’s ploy to avoid playing for the Arizona Cardinals, because such a fate trashed Larry Fitzgerald’s career, apparently.
Hidden gems might suffer from elite players opting out
If there’s any actual fallout from Harrison’s decision, it’s more likely to be felt by marginal NFL talent. To check the bottom of the 53-man rosters and the practice squads is to find scores of players who came within an eyelash of not being there. Every year there are high school players who were handed scholarships only because a recruiter visited his campus targeting another player but stumbled across the real hidden gem. The same is true for the leap from college to the pros, where marginal draft prospects catch the eye of scouts who attended pro days because of someone else. Makes you wonder: How many NFL scouts canceled their trips to Columbus on Wednesday and won’t know what they’re missing?
More: NFL Draft: 37 players from Florida high schools invited to NFL Scouting Combine
Of course, Harrison’s first obligation is to his own career. Many mock drafts list him as the top receiving prospect, though others favor LSU’s Malik Nabers. NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein projects the Cardinals to take Nabers at No. 4 and the Chargers to land Harrison at No. 5. But Charles Davis and Bucky Brooks predict the Cardinals going with Harrison. Daniel Jeremiah predicts the Jets trade up to No. 5 for Harrison. (Although New England has the third overall pick, the Patriots need a quarterback, so it’s not likely the Dolphins will have to deal with Harrison in a Patriots uniform.)
The notion of changing dynamics in how the NFL operates in late winter goes deeper than that. Some NFL head coaches are no-shows at the combine now. Every player with a hangnail begs off workouts. NFL Network put together a spot advertising its combine coverage, but at least six of the players featured blew off the workouts or medical exams. There are even rumblings that players are waking up to the fact they aren’t paid for their time in Indy.
“We’re seeing it become the opt-out generation,” one AFC general manager told Yahoo. “But I guess we could also ask how many head coaches aren’t here, how many general managers aren’t here, or get here late and leave early. It might say more about the evolution of the combine than a generation of players deciding what they won’t do.”
More: Miami Dolphins' game plan at NFL Combine should focus on offensive, defensive lines.
One executive added, “Every step has been eroded over time. Guys opt out of high school games, college bowls, all-star games, combine, pro days. It’s the new normal. The arrogance of it all. And it’s only going to get worse.”
Don’t blame Marvin Harrison Jr.
He’s doing what he thinks is best for Marvin Harrison Jr.
Check back in a year or two to see how many follow his lead.
Dolphins reporter Hal Habib can be reached at hhabib@pbpost.com. Follow him on social media @gunnerhal.
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This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Is Marvin Harrison Jr.'s approach to NFL Draft signifying a new normal?
