College football bowl season is underway, and while there have been some great moments in some of the games so far, the more anticipated matchups are on the horizon. Of course, there are the New Year's Six games, highlighted by the College Football Semifinal matchups. But before that is the Cotton Bowl Classic, which will see the No. 7 Ohio State Buckeyes take on the No. 9 Missouri Tigers on Friday, Dec. 29.
As has been the case every year, the college bowl season sees some of the top players announce that they won't be partaking. The main reason for that is due to said players want to avoid picking up an injury before declaring for the NFL Draft.
When it comes to the top non-quarterback prospect, it is Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. Harrison is a certified top-five pick in the 2024 draft class, and received praise from NFL teams as early as last year's pre-draft process. But will Harrison play in the Cotton Bowl Classic?
Is Marvin Harrison playing in the Cotton Bowl for Ohio State?
UPDATE: Shortly before kickoff, it was revealed by Ohio State that Harrison will be sitting out of the Cotton Bowl against Missouri.
Harrison traveled with the team to Arlington, Texas, for the big bowl game. Dan Hope of Eleven Warriors reported that Harrison did not participate in the team's practice at AT&T Stadium on Tuesday. Harrison was a non-participant in practice throughout the week.
Harrison caught the attention of NFL executives and scouts at Ohio State's Pro Day last year, which was headlined by quarterback C.J. Stroud. With Harrison helping him out, the NFL world was focused on the skillset of the son of the Pro Football Hall of Famer. In fact, an NFL scout told ESPN's Jordan Reid that watching Harrison run routes was "like window shopping at a Lamborghini dealership for the model that doesn't come out until next year."
After a great 2023 season that saw him get named a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, the belief was that Harrison would declare for the 2024 NFL Draft. However, Harrison had said earlier in the month that he was still undecided about going pro or returning to Ohio State. The wide receiver expressed his desire to beat the rival Michigan Wolverines and win a Big Ten Championship, both of which he hasn't done in his Ohio State career.
The hard deadline for all prospective NFL Draft candidates to declare is Monday, Jan. 15, 2024.