Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Ranks Ahead of Brock Bowers; Analyst Explains Why

One thing is clear the Ohio State Buckeyes have one of the best players in college football in Marvin Harrison Jr.

Author:
Harrison Reno
May 25, 2023 3:41 PM EDT

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Debating who the best players are in college football isn't exclusive to the fans, as even analysts partake in those debates. That is what ON3 recently did when they released their top-100 players list for this upcoming season.

To no one's surprise, the Ohio State Buckeyes had players included by ON3, the highest being wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. The rising junior ranked No. 3 overall only behind USC's Caleb Williams (No. 1) and North Carolina's Drake Maye (No. 2).

But as ON3 would later reveal, where to rank Harrison was a debated subject as they compared him to Georgia tight end Brock Bowers. Both players are undoubtedly top-10 talents this season, and if it weren't for having two potential first-round draft quarterbacks in Williams and Maye, they would likely be considered the top two players. Yet, ON3 chose to have Harrison over Bowers, much to the chagrin of Georgia fans.

“At the end of the day, a WR1 is going to be more impactful than a tight end would. … Sometimes, explosive plays are going to be a little more important, impactful than consistency,” Stat Cat said about ranking Harrison at No. 3. “He’s 6-foot-3, 200-plus pounds. If you wanted to build a receiver in the lab — with a Hall of Fame father, mind you — where else would you start then with Marvin Harrison Jr.?

“His body control is fantastic. He has this trait known as late hands — he’s not just running down the field with his hands up. He’s waiting until the last second to pop his hands up which gives defenders less chances to react to that, helping himself out in the long run.”

These traits described by Stat Cat will likely make him a top-10 draft pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Some have even said that the current Buckeye is the best receiver prospect since Calvin Johnson, which speaks volumes about the type of prospect the NFL sees Harrison as.

Harrison led the Buckeyes in receiving a year ago, recording 77 receptions for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns. After an incredible season, Harrison is already being talked about as a Heisman candidate, even though the Buckeyes won't have C.J. Stroud at quarterback this fall.

But don't let all of this underscore that both Harrison and Bowers look like future first-round draft picks who could go head-to-head again if the Bulldogs and Buckeyes manage to meet in the college football playoffs.