Ohio State star Marvin Harrison Jr. is widely expected to be the first wide receiver off the board on Thursday night, on Day 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft. That's been the expectation for quite some time now, dating back to his breakout sophomore season with the Buckeyes.
It was so expected that Harrison didn't even go through workouts at either the NFL Scouting Combine or his Pro Day, differentiating him from a number of other top prospects, who worked out at one or the other. But Harrison said that isn't why he didn't work out.
"Just talking to my dad, we decided what's best for us: to prepare for the NFL season, not prepare for the combine or pro day or anything like that," Harrison Jr. said, per NFL Media. "So, take our time to do our due diligence. Also resting after the season, getting your body right. I'm training to play football, so that's what we've got to do at the end of the day. So we trained to play football instead."
Harrison Jr., of course, is the son of Indianapolis Colts legend Marvin Harrison, the eight-time Pro Bowler, eight-time All-Pro and Super Bowl champion who retired with 1,102 catches for 14,580 yards and 128 touchdowns. The younger Harrison is listed quite a bit bigger than his father, who checked in at 6-foot, 185 pounds. Ohio State listed Harrison Jr. at 6-4, 205. Despite them being different types of players, the older Harrison obviously still has valuable advice for his son.
"He told me, 'Just be yourself,'" Harrison Jr. said. "When you meet a team, the coaches and GMs, just be yourself. They're trying to get a feel for who you are. So it's especially good for yourself and them."
Harrison Jr. is expected to be drafted within the top five, and he feels confident in being able to excel wherever he goes, and feels that the teams should feel the same way. "You know, whatever happens, whoever drafts me, I think they've done their research, and I've talked to them," he said. "They understand where my health is, and they know my skills and my skill set."
