Marvin Harrison Jr. poised to become Ohio State's highest-drafted WR

Marvin Harrison Jr. has it all when it comes to top-end NFL Draft prospects. Strong football bloodlines, elite on-field production and a physical makeup off the charts.

By all accounts, Harrison should be a top-5 draft pick when the draft starts Thursday night. If that happens, Harrison will have some Ohio State history to his credit, but one question will factor into the rest of his NFL career.

Does Harrison have what it takes to become the GOAT of Buckeye receivers?

It’s intriguing question for a player that has looked like the best receiving prospect in some time for over a year. And, with a Hall of Fame father and incredible work ethic, it’s hard not to label the younger Harrison as a surefire prospect.

However, Ohio State’s lineage — particularly at the WR position — is elite. And it’s not always the players at the top of the draft who make the biggest impact.

Entering Thursday, Ohio State is riding a 2-year streak of producing a first-round receiver with Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and Jaxon Smith-Njigba all entering the NFL as top-20 picks. Wilson was the 10th overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, but a few receivers out of Ohio State have been selected higher.

In fact, Wilson was the 5th top-10 WR in Buckeye history when the New York Jets selected him. He joined Terry Glenn, David Boston, Joey Galloway and Ted Ginn Jr. as top-10 picks in the draft with Glenn leading that group as the 7th overall pick in the 1996 Draft.

By all accounts, Harrison will come off the board earlier than No. 7 to surpass Glenn in that regard. ESPN’s Jordan Reid has Harrison going 4th overall to the Arizona Cardinals, and NFL.com’s Chad Reuter has Harrison going No. 5 overall to the Los Angeles Chargers (and former Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh).

Those 2 projections include the predominant schools of thought on Harrison. Arizona has declared the No. 4 pick can be had (for a price), but if the price isn’t met, the pick is likely Harrison to serve as a No. 1 receiver for Kyler Murray.

If the Cardinals do opt to trade the pick (to a team in search of a QB), the Chargers would likely be thrilled at the prospects of teaming Harrison with Justin Herbert, their franchise QB with strong arm talent.

No matter which scenario plays out, it feels safe to call Harrison a near-lock to be a top-5 pick. DraftKings has the Buckeye superstar at -3000 to be one of the first 5 picks, trailing only UNC’s Drake Maye at -4000 among the players listed. ESPN Bet also has Harrison as the favorite to be the No. 4 pick at -225.

So, one part of Ohio State history is about to belong to Harrison, but can he achieve GOAT status among all receivers who claim the Buckeyes? That’s a trickier task.

All-time Buckeye legends

One Hall of Fame player who set the bar high when it comes to Ohio State’s WR GOAT discussion is Paul Warfield. A 2-time Super Bowl winner, Warfield starred in the 1960s and 1970s for the Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins.

After mostly playing as a running back for the Buckeyes, he shined with over 8,500 career receiving yards and an impressive 20.1 yards per catch in his career. Considering Warfield played in an era that was not as pass-heavy, his 4 seasons with 10+ receiving touchdowns speaks to his game-breaking potential.

Along with Warfield, there is 1 other modern-era receiver who deserves discussion: Cris Carter. A supplemental draft pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1987, Carter’s career began to take off when he landed with the Minnesota Vikings and he fully exploded with his first 1,000-yard season in 1993.

Though he never won a Super Bowl, Carter finished his career with a pair of first-team All-Pro selections. He still ranks 13th on the NFL’s all-time receiving list with 13,899 yards.

In the GOAT discussion, it likely comes down to Warfield’s championship contributions in a previous era vs. Carter’s individual accomplishments. Other players like Terry Glenn and Joey Galloway shined at times but fell short of the production throughout a career displayed by Warfield and Carter.

Ohio State’s recent draftee group of Smith-Njigba, Wilson and Olave all have provided reason to believe they can deliver some All-Pro performances, but Harrison takes things to another level. Of course, teaming up in the right system with the right QB still makes all the difference.

In the end, Harrison should be the right player to chase down the all-time status of Ohio State’s best NFL receiver, and the first step in the journey begins Thursday night.