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It’s wild to even think that Marvin Harrison Jr. would NOT be considered the locked in Wide Receiver 1 in the 2024 NFL draft, especially after we’ve been viewing him as a generational prospect for the past two years. Chris Simms was quoted as saying that himself, nor any of his friends, consider Marvin Harrison Jr. as the top WR in the draft, and instead view Malik Nabers as the WR 1. Let’s dive into some metrics of these two top-end WR talents entering the 2024 NFL draft, which begins this Thursday, April 25th.

Marvin Harrison Jr. (6’4″, 205 lbs) performed exceptionally well with two different QBs in his Sophomore and Junior seasons at Ohio State University. We all know that C.J. Stroud is already a proven talent in the NFL, who was dishing the rock to Harrison Jr. in his Sophomore season, reeling in 77 receptions for 1,263 yards (AVG 16.4 yds/rec) and 14 touchdowns. In his Junior season, Harrison Jr. was catching passes from Kyle McCord, and proceeded to post 67 receptions for 1,211 yards (AVG 18.1 yds/rec) and another 14 touchdowns.

Malik Nabers (6’0″, 200 lbs) enjoyed his two starting seasons at LSU with the same QB, Jayden Daniels. In his Sophomore season, Malik Nabers posted a line of 72 receptions for 1,017 yards (AVG 14.1 yds/rec) and 3 touchdowns. In Nabers’ Junior season, the chemistry flourished between him and his QB, as he went on to snag 89 receptions for 1,569 yards (17.6 yds/rec) and 14 touchdowns.

Obviously both of these players have outstanding stats over their past two seasons, but let’s do a little comparison since at the end of the day, we’re exploring how Marvin Harrison Jr. could possibly not be considered the WR 1 in the 2024 NFL draft by some analysts. Looking at the average yards per reception above, Harrison Jr. bested Nabers in this category both seasons. This speaks to the efficiency Marvin Harrison Jr. has on a per reception basis when asked to make a play down the field, picking up crucial first downs. Harrison Jr. also caught far more touchdowns, 28, compared to Nabers’ 17 over two seasons of play. This stat alone shows the prowess Marvin Harrison Jr. has when it comes to scoring, something a shorter Malik Nabers may not do as much of in the NFL when it comes to passes being thrown within the red zone. Harrison Jr. had 17 touchdowns thrown to him from within the red-zone, compared to Nabers’ 9. We also cannot overlook the fact that Malik Nabers had the privilege of playing with the same QB back-to-back seasons. One might argue that had Marvin Harrison Jr. been able to do this with C.J. Stroud instead of transitioning to a new QB in his final collegiate season, he too could have improved upon his prolific Sophomore season by having a far more talented QB delivering him with more catchable passes.

In my opinion, Marvin Harrison Jr. has showcased his ability to excel at the NFL level as he is a proven talent, regardless of who is throwing him the ball. I’d take him as the WR 1 off the board over Malik Nabers all day, every day. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, and let’s rejoice in the fact that the NFL draft is only two days away!