With little to gain and everything to lose, wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. has tried staying off his feet as much as possible leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft.
After bypassing the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, Harrison has opted out of Ohio State’s Pro Day, per Albert Breer of The MMQB.
Ohio State Pro Day is today, and teams have been informed that all-everything WR Marvin Harrison Jr. will not be working out for scouts. Will be relatively quiet in Columbus, with so many high-end draft prospects choosing to stay in school, no GMs or HCs scheduled to be there.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 20, 2024
Marvin Harrison Jr. doesn't work out at Ohio State Pro Day
While it is the right decision to make from a business standpoint, Harrison’s choice is virtually sucking the life out of the event, with Breer noting that no NFL general managers or head coaches will be there in light of the disappointing news.
Breer suggests that Ohio State, which is typically a powerhouse for breeding high-level prospects, having so many players elect to stay in school combined with Harrison not working out will lead to a “relatively quiet” outing in Columbus.
The 2023 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year finished fourth in Heisman voting this past season, hauling in 67 receptions for 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns, looking every bit the part of a bonafide No. 1 wide receiver.
Harrison is the consensus top receiving prospect and projects to be selected as high as third overall in this year’s draft, with many expecting the first two players off the board to be quarterbacks.
There’s essentially nothing Harrison could do to improve his draft stock, so why would he put himself in harm’s way and risk negatively impacting his value? Or worse, suffering an injury that could derail the start of his pro career?
It’s tough to deny that it’s a bit of a buzzkill for fans, scouts, and front office executives, who were excited to see Harrison put on a show at OSU’s Pro Day. But you can understand the talent wideout’s logic in his decision-making process.