Top prospect Marvin Harrison Jr. says he's undecided on whether to enter 2024 NFL Draft
Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is about as clean of an NFL Draft prospect as you'll find.
He has great size at 6-foot-4. He glides in his movements. His bloodlines are obvious; he plays receiver like a longtime NFL vet. That can happen when your father is a Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver. He is remarkably productive and arguably the best player on the field in every college game he plays.
And he's undecided about the draft.
Harrison said he's not sure if he'll stay at Ohio State for another season or turn pro. He told reporters that as OSU prepares to play in the Cotton Bowl. Harrison cited not having a Big Ten championship or a win over Michigan (who he referred to as "the team up north," of course) as reasons he might come back.
"Still undecided," Harrison told reporters, via a video posted by Andy Backstrom of On3 sports. "You guys know, coming into this year I wanted to beat 'the team up north' and win a Big Ten championship and obviously I didn't do that this year. I think that's a great motive to come back if that's what I decide to do. It's something I definitely wanted to do in my Ohio State career and not having done that yet, that opens the door for me to come back.
"But, undecided. Taking it day by day at this time."
Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. said he’s undecided about his future.
“Coming into this year, I wanted to beat ‘The Team Up North’ & win a Big Ten Championship & obviously I did not do that this year. I think there's a great motive to come back if that's what I decide to do.“ pic.twitter.com/bnK2aNjnZj— Andy Backstrom (@andybackstrom) December 7, 2023
Before Ohio State fans get too excited and fans of those teams in the top five of the NFL Draft worry — Arizona Cardinals, we're probably looking at you — it would be very rare for a player who is considered by many the top non-quarterback in the draft to stay in college another season. Caleb Williams and Drake Maye are expected to go with the top two picks because they are fantastic prospects at the all-valuable quarterback position, but Harrison could go as high as third. A team like the Cardinals, who currently have the third pick, would be excited to add a playmaker like Harrison to help out quarterback Kyler Murray.
Of course, much of the history of top prospects turning pro didn't happen in the NIL era. Harrison would make a lot of money at Ohio State on NIL deals. That might not equal the money he'd get for being a top pick in the NFL Draft, and it would mean another year before a potential second contract that could be massive if he fulfills his promise in the pros. But it would be a lot of money while he chases some unfinished business at Ohio State. Before NIL deals were allowed, it was a much bigger risk to return to school.
We'll see how serious Harrison is about going back to Ohio State. If he stays in school, that would be a massive shakeup near the top of the draft.
