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Marvin Harrison Jr.’s unique pre-draft process is the absolute right call for a player of his stature

Paul Harvey

By Paul Harvey

Published:

Marvin Harrison Jr. is carving his own path to the 2024 NFL Draft. It’s the right call, even if his decisions are bound to raise a few eyebrows.

Monday morning, NFL reporter Albert Breer indicated Harrison is not going to participate in the NFL Combine testing. Harrison also has not hired an agent, and Breer reported Harrison remains in Columbus working out with Ohio State’s star strength coach Mickey Marotti.

The plan, per Breer, is for Harrison to prepare to play real football in the fall as opposed to running 40-yard dashes. That means it is also likely Harrison will not do serious testing at a pro day.

For most players, that sort of plan would be draft suicide. However, Harrison is not your average player, both on the field and in preparation.

Why there’s no concern for Harrison

For most players, the idea of boosting their draft stock is enticing enough to engage in the normal pre-draft cycle. Harrison does not have that concern with his draft stock already established as one of the best players in the draft.

NFL.com draft expert Daniel Jeremiah released his updated list of the top 50 draft prospects Monday morning, and Harrison was slotted as the No. 2 overall player behind Caleb Williams. Harrison has all the makeup of a true No. 1 receiver at the next level, and an argument can be made he’s a safer NFL prospect than Williams based on the position he plays. Most mock drafts have Harrison as a top-5 lock, and fans can follow all the NFL Draft odds with Tradition’s Ohio sportsbooks links and apps.

As for Harrison’s work ethic, Breer included in his piece many in the NFL simply view his decisions “as strictly a business decision” with his efforts focused on his rookie year. While some players have to deal with the perception of avoiding the work, Harrison’s continued training in Columbus shows his dedication to performance on the field vs. performance in testing.

That should come as no surprise to anyone who has followed Harrison’s career at Ohio State. During the 2022 season, Brian Hartline said Harrison worked in a way that was “beyond professional.” More recently, Ryan Day said Harrison is “obsessed with being great.”

In fact, the case for Harrison is that his efforts are being directed into the activities that will make him a great player as opposed to a great tester. After all, who cares what Harrison’s testing says when he can point to the tape?

Harrison has shown his ability to gash the best of the best, delivering a first half for the ages against Georgia in last year’s College Football Playoff. As for his catch radius and contested ability, Harrison has two full seasons putting those skills on display.

In terms of toughness, Harrison also has tape to illustrate his ability to fight through injuries. He returned to action against Notre Dame after a sprained ankle, and he played every game last season in spite of the injury.

Ultimately, pre-draft testing for Harrison would prove what we already know: He’s an athletic freak and the best receiver prospect to come out of college in some time. A 40-yard dash number or elite vertical would wow fans, but it would not serve any real purpose his tape cannot.

It will be interesting to see where Harrison winds up in the draft, but any team sold on his value will not be deterred by his decision to skip the NFL Combine testing.

Paul Harvey

Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.