2024 Chicago Bears Draft Target: Marvin Harrison Jr. |
This may be a pipe dream and would never happen, as there is no way the Bears could get both Caleb Williams and Marvin Harrison Jr. Or is there? I mean, this is the NFL draft, and stranger things have happened as teams reach for players all the time while other players find themselves falling down the draft board.
Given how people feel about Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze, what if this were to happen to Harrison Jr.? Although highly unlikely, you can't rule out the possibility that Harrison Jr. will fall to No. 9. If he did, the Bears would have added the best quarterback in this year's draft and arguably the best wide receiver. Talk about a match made in heaven for years to come. The 6-3, 209-pounder is much bigger than his dad but doesn't quite have the same level of speed. That doesn't matter when it comes to Harrison, as his route-running ability and unbelievable hands make him the best WR prospect to come out of college since Justin Jefferson. There are some who even feel that if he goes into the right situation, he could become a top-10 all-time NFL receiver. It's way too early to go that far on the Harrison projections, but when you hear people talk like that about a player who has yet to play an NFL game, you get a sense of how great of a player they already are. Harrison had another great year this past season, but it was a quiet year when you look at the seasons Odunze and Nabers had. He still finished with 67 receptions, 1,211 yards, and 14 touchdowns. Add that to what he did in prior years, and Harrison will go down as one of the best wide receivers in Ohio State history. He finished his college career with 155 receptions, 2,613 yards, and 31 touchdowns, which are incredible numbers to say the least. Harrison was the spark that made the Buckeyes' passing attack go. Along with those stats, Harrison took home several awards throughout his career, including the Big Ten Player of the Year award this past season. That alone is why some feel he is the best overall prospect in this year's class and deserves to go No. 1 overall. What stands out the most when you watch his film is his elite route-running ability. There isn't much that he does wrong, as every route is about as fluid as you can be while also being able to create separation in coverage. Harrison has the size to go up and contest the jump ball, but his strong hands make it easy for him to come away with even the most challenging catches in traffic. Although not the burner some of this year's WRs are, Harrison isn't slow by any stretch of the imagination. Pair that with his 6-3 height and 209-pound frame, and Harrison has the ability to be a playmaker every time he touches the ball while also being a significant Red Zone threat. While most will tell you there are no weaknesses in his game, that is far from the truth, as every player has weaknesses. One of his is that he doesn't always play at 100% speed on every play. That doesn't mean he doesn't give 100% effort, but there are times when he doesn't seem to be going at 100% and is just doing what he needs to get open. Like most big bodied WRs, Harrison is a possession WR and isn't afraid to make the play. However, despite his good speed, his YAC isn't very good, which teams could take advantage of in the NFL. Perhaps the most shocking weakness, given his size, is that he does struggle in press coverage. With so many physical players in today's game, teams will focus on that area of his game, which will take some getting used to for him. With the addition of Keenan Allen to pair with DJ Moore, the Bears WR room is in a much better place than last season. However, with Allen in the final year of his deal, Chicago must prepare for him leaving if an extension isn't reached. That is why adding a guy like Harrison is critical, as he would give the Bears another weapon to build around. The only way this can happen is for the Bears to land two picks in the top four or the unthinkable of having Harrison fall to them at No. 9.
