Scarlet Sunrise: Marvin Harrison Jr. takes top-30 visit with Arizona Cardinals

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Marvin Harrison Jr. takes top-30 visit with Arizona Cardinals

Teams with the top three picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders and New England Patriots, are all expected to take quarterbacks. They’re all three unlikely to take any other position.

But the team with the No. 4 overall pick, the Arizona Cardinals, are in the market for a wide receiver. They’re making their intentions known, hosting former Buckeyes receiver and potential top-five pick Marvin Harrison Jr. for a top-30 visit this week, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport.

Harrison didn’t go through any workouts at the NFL Combine or at Ohio State Pro Day, but that’s not bothering any team. He’s still projected to be a top-five pick after being a superstar for two seasons at Ohio State. The two-time unanimous All-American, Biletnikoff Award winner and Heisman Trophy finalist tore up defenses with the Buckeyes for the last two years.

Now he’s gearing up for his NFL career, and that might just be with the Arizona Cardinals, who took former Buckeyes All-American offensive tackle Paris Johnson with the No. 6 overall pick last year.

The Cardinals are interested enough to host him for a top-30 visit on Friday.

Pair of Buckeyes shed black stripe after Friday practice

A pair of Buckeyes, one young player and one veteran transfer, shed their respective black stripe on Friday, the program announced.

Will Kacmarek, who transferred from Ohio University to Ohio State, lost his after a successful practice. The veteran tight end is the fifth Buckeyes transfer portal addition to lose his black stripe this spring, joining running back Quinshon Judkins, quarterback Will Howard, safety Caleb Downs and potential starting center Seth McLaughlin.

His hard work is paying off, as he’ll have a chance to be the starting tight end for the Buckeyes. He’ll continue to compete against fifth-year senior Gee Scott Jr., third-year option Bennett Christian and second-year potential breakout star Jelani Thurman for the job this spring. A pair of freshmen tight ends will join the program this summer.

Ohio State defensive lineman Will Smith Jr., who is a second-year Buckeyes player but is in his first spring, has slowly been rising up the depth chart this spring. He’s now taking a big step forward in his progression. He shed his black stripe, as well, on Friday.

Smith turned heads at the very beginning of spring ball when he was with the second-team defense. He worked to that after an impressive couple of months of winter workouts — and he’s carried that to the field.

Defensive line coach Larry Johnson has been impressed.

Buckeyes making move for elite in-state safety prospect

From Lettermen Row recruiting expert Matt Parker:

Ohio State has enjoyed plenty of success in-state but specifically in Northeast Ohio in recent recruiting cycles.

A name that we’ve mentioned on message boards but haven’t fleshed out a full story is three-star Cleveland (Ohio) St. Ignatius safety Cody Haddad.

The 6-foot, 170-pound safety isn’t high up on the rankings — No. 447 overall and No. 31 safety per On3 Industry Rankings. But make no mistake, he’s a player and one that Ohio State has identified as a real target for its 2025 class.

Safeties coach Matt Guerrieri made stops at St. Ignatius during the winter contact period to visit with Haddad. Come mid-January, however, Haddad decidedly ‘ended’ his recruitment and committed to Wisconsin. Three days later he announced an Ohio State offer.

And now nearly four months later, Haddad reopened his recruitment by decommitting from Wisconsin. The Buckeyes are automatically the team to watch.

Matt Parker, Lettermen Row

READ the full story HERE: Ohio State, Cody Haddad forming close relationship as in-state safety reopens recruitment

Counting Down

Buckeyes vs. Akron: 147 days
Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 238 days

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