Draft analyst Jeremiah: Marvin Harrison Jr. is unrecognizable with Cardinals
Marvin Harrison Jr's rapid decline since the NFL Draft is puzzling to evaluators.
Watch: Daniel Jeremiah sounds off about the lack of production from Marvin Harrison Jr. | 59 seconds
NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah told Seattle Sports that Marvin Harrison Jr., the can’t-miss prospect he evaluated at Ohio State, is unrecognizable as an Arizona Cardinal.
“I don’t even recognize Marvin Harrison Jr. from the guy I watched in college,” Jeremiah said.
The scout goes on to speak rather definitively on how Harrison not only needs a change of scenery, but that it might not even work elsewhere.
“I don’t have all the information to know what has gone on there,” he said. “He’s obviously going to have to go somewhere else but I’m not even confident that a fresh start and a new place is going to unlock him. He looks sluggish, he doesn’t look like he can separate.”
Harrison has one catch for 33 yards through two games. While his first two seasons since going fourth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft weren’t pacing that poorly, it still was nowhere close to the level of being the nearly-guaranteed star wideout he was evaluated to be in the draft by experts like Jeremiah.
Jeremiah went on to say that of the Buckeyes’ plethora of high-tier wideout prospects over a short span, he would have had Harrison ranked ahead of Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Since those drafts, though, he says it’s clear that Harrison is the worst of the four.
Harrison had a handful of all-22 clips from Sunday’s catch-less loss go viral on social media, including a few run-blocking scenarios in which a lack of effort is clear.
“I just don’t see it that way,” Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur said when asked if Harrison is not exerting maximum effort. “I think his running style is different than some other people. If that’s people’s narrative on him, that’s fine. I know his teammates don’t feel that way.”
This has led to trade speculation, which ESPN’s Dan Graziano said naturally spawned dialogue from opposing front offices on if Harrison could indeed be made available by Arizona. Harrison will be under contract for at least one more season beyond 2026. The Cardinals, however, will have to decide on his fifth-year option next offseason, and if this trend continues, they will surely decline that.
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Comments
3 Comments
Like everyone, when the draft approached that year and it became apparent that we would be able to get MHJ I was pretty stoked. However, being a primary source kinda guy, I started watching his film expecting to see a generational talent running roughshod over top tier opponents. Instead, I saw all the things that have become an issue at the NFL level.
-Catching with his body
-So so route running
-Slowish of the line
He made a lot of plays, but he was often wide open running free because OSU had so many weapons, or he simply ran by inferior competition.
Then I looked at Nabers and Odunze and saw guys with desire and the ability to win one on one balls consistently. Guys with twitch (Nabers particularly).
I kinda didnt want to see these things to be honest and I still held out hope for MHJ. I still think he can be a competent #2, but he is going to have to mature as a player a bit and realize his role isnt going to be like a JSN, but more like how Michael Wilson began his career...scrappy, patient, unselfish and being ready. If he can become that guy, he can still have a very nice NFL career. If he thinks he is Puka type then he wont.
I was afraid at the time that his name was elevating him above the other top WRs like Nabers and Odunze. While Odunze hasn't necessarily been much better, it's looking like Nabers might have been the better choice.
His old man can't blame it on the offense Drew Petzing was running anymore.