Once again, it seems the Ohio State Buckeyes have another star in the making with Marvin Harrison Jr., but what makes him such a dynamic player that I’ve put him at WR1 in devy? I break down his game and explain why he is a blue-chip prospect with round-one capital on the horizon.
Harrison attended St. Joseph Prep School in Philadelphia, where he posted 144 receptions for 2,625 yards and 37 touchdowns. At the time of his recruitment in the 2021 class, Harrison held 18 offers, including Florida, Michigan, LSU, and Notre Dame. He committed to Ohio State almost exactly three years ago, on October 31st, 2019.
When comparing Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave during their sophomore season, some comparisons can be made with where Harrison currently is this season. With the 2020 season cut short due to covid, Olave held a 28% Target share on 59 targets in seven games. Wilson saw a 28% Target share on 58 targets in eight games. Harrison Jr has a 28% target share on 56 targets in his first seven games this season.
An area that Harrison Jr. already has a jump on in the competition is his length and size at the receiver position. Coming in as a recruit, Harrison was listed as around 190 lbs. Now listed at 6′ 4″ and 205 lbs, it is evident that he has worked on adding muscle mass and functional strength to his game.
Harrison Jr. displays a remarkable ability to body out defenders in contested and traffic situations while maintaining control of the personal perimeter he sets at the point of the catch. He makes incredible mid-air adjustments to the ball, showing off his body control, awareness, and play strength to catch over or through the defender’s body.
An area that makes Harrison Jr. a future fantasy star is his ability to separate and get open with manipulation, fluid agility, and a variety of hand swipes. He knows how to attack the hips of the defender off the line of scrimmage with the use of proper stemming and deceptive body gestures.
The art of catching the ball, regardless of difficulty, seems to come naturally to Harrison Jr. He shows ease when snatching the ball outside his frame, showing dominance against opposing defenders within the ball’s trajectory. He displays impressive extension to the ball, whether above his frame, adjusting to a low-thrown ball, or executing a leaping extension to adjust himself to the catch point.
Regarding his athleticism and speed, Harrison Jr. has put on a show within his body mechanics and how he can change direction with fluid cuts and a quick flip of his hips to execute sharp breaks in his routes. What makes his movements even more impressive is his lower body length and how well he can control his movements without needing to downshift, so he doesn’t lose speed. Harrison Jr. has long strides in which he covers more ground with each stride. His first step looks quick, and he tends to gain steam once past the second level, making the most of his explosiveness to gain additional yards after the catch.
When comparing Kayshon Boutte and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who most have had as interchangeable WR1s in devy, Harrison Jr. provides size, physicality, and separation ability against man coverage that both Boutte and Smith-Njigba lack or don’t execute at such as high of a level. Harrison Jr. has the tools to be a legit WR1 for an NFL team, whereas Boutte and Smith-Njigba can be a solid WR2.
In regards to the analytics, Harrison Jr. is checking off the boxes.
BEST ANALYTICAL GRADES:
Dominator Rating: 32.07%
Weighted Dominator Rating: 30.75%
* WEIGHTED DOMINATOR RATING – Adjusted dominator rating that prioritizes yards over touchdowns and includes receptions in a ratio of 25:50:25.
Yards Per Team Pass Attempt: 3.19
Yards Per Route Run: 3.34
Yards Per Reception: 16.4
Career aDOT: 12.6
QB Rating when targeted: 147.7
Multi-Sport Athlete: Basketball
WORST ANALYTICAL GRADES:
BMI: 25
Breakout Age: 20 (Disclaimer: sophomore year)
ANALYTICAL GRADE: 7.7/10
Harrison Jr.’s size, skillset, athleticism, and pedigree make him a priority receiver addition in devy. Compared to Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, Harrison Jr. is a better prospect than both at this stage in his career. Being the son of Hall of Fame receiver, Marvin Harrison surely doesn’t hurt, either. Still, even if you remove this from the equation, Harrison Jr. has shown enough that he is a big-time receiver prospect that has the capability of being very productive in fantasy, regardless of the environment he lands in.
