Is Marvin Harrison Jr. a senior? Ohio State WR's college and NFL draft eligibility explored
Earning Unanimous All-American honors in your sophomore year is an impressive achievement, and Marvin Harrison Jr. has already achieved that. Harrison, who is currently in his junior year with the Ohio State Buckeyes, had a breakthrough year in 2022. He also earned First Team All-Big Ten honors and was the recipient of the Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year Award.
In 2022, he played all 13 games of the Buckeyes season and recorded 1263 receiving yards with 14 touchdown receptions in 77 receptions. That was a huge increase from his 2021 numbers, which saw him only record 139 receiving yards and a lowly three touchdowns. In 2023, so far, he has recorded 889 receiving yards with eight touchdowns in 48 receptions.
This year marks an important milestone for the young receiver, as after his junior year, he would become eligible for a waiver that could allow him to enter the 2024 NFL draft. At Ohio State's Pro Day for the 2023 NFL draft, he ran routes for eventual draftee CJ Stroud, and while he wasn't able to declare for that year's draft, his performance did gather the attention of the media. Some considered him a better option for an NFL team than most of the receivers available.
Marvin Harrison Jr.'s draft projection
Some analysts have Marvin Harrison Jr. as a top-five prospect, with him even getting called the second-best player of the potential 2024 NFL draft class, only behind USC's Caleb Williams. That could see Harrison drafted as high as No. 2 overall.
His final draft spot would probably depend a lot on the top five teams' situations and his combine results. There's even a scenario in which Caleb Williams decides to come back for a final outing with the Trojans, which sees him get the first overall pick. Admittedly, that's an unlikely situation.
Ohio State's 2023 Season so far
Marvin Harrison Jr. and the Buckeyes seem bound for a national playoff appearance. Into Week 10, the school has a perfect record of 8-0 and is ranked No. 3 in the nation. The Buckeyes have been in the top five through most of the season.
The Buckeyes have two signature wins in their resume, having defeated a then-No. 9 Notre Dame side and a then-No. 7 Penn State squad.
To close out the season, Ohio State have easy encounters with Rutgers, Michigan State and Minnesota. Their ultimate test will be Michigan in Week 13.