Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. declares for NFL Draft

COLUMBUS — Marvin Harrison Jr. quickly became one of the best wide receivers in Ohio State program history in just a little more than two years on the field.

The record-setting pass-catcher and sure-thing first-round pick is now ready to head to the NFL Draft.

Harrison Jr. already opted out of the Buckeyes’ Dec. 29 Cotton Bowl matchup against Missouri, which ended his three incredible years at Ohio State. He is now officially declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft, where he is expected to be a top-five draft selection.

The former four-star prospect set records in his two years as a starter in the Buckeyes offense. He now holds the record for most 100-yard receiving games in program history (15), and he became the first Ohio State wide receiver to ever stack back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons.

He finished his career catching 155 passes for 2,613 yards and 31 touchdowns. As far as the Buckeyes record book goes, he’s sixth all-time in catches and receiving yards and third all-time in receiving touchdowns. And he did it all with just two seasons as a starter.

“It’s the way he did everything,” Ohio State wide receiver’s coach and offensive coordinator Brian Hartline said this week. “It’s the way he prepared, it’s the way he talks. It’s the way in our group chats, the messages we put in that group chat, the reactions to those messages, the conversations about elite players, the Kobes of the world, the Mamba mentality. That’s really what’s elevated that bar.

“And now it’s a tall task to have the next guys find a way to raise that bar. Don’t know how, but we’re going to have to find a way to raise that bar. That’ll be up to Carnell [Tate] (freshman probably making his first college start on Friday night in place of Harrison) and the group that’ll be around next year.”

Of course, Harrison broke out as a true freshman in the 2021 Rose Bowl, when he hauled in six passes for 71 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Utah.

From there, he took off, becoming the best receiver in college football. Harrison was a unanimous All-American last season and took home Big Ten Wide Receiver of the Year honors twice. He was also named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year this season, becoming just the third wide receiver to win that award.

But he also finished his career 0-3 against Michigan. And after the most recent loss in late November, Harrison Jr. declined to give an answer about his future.

“I don’t know. I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t have an answer for you just yet. A lot of conversations to be had with just family and coaches and teammates. So I don’t have an answer for you just yet.”

Now the record-setting Ohio State wide receiver does have an answer. Marvin Harrison Jr. is declaring for the NFL Draft.

Stick with Lettermen Row for all the Buckeyes roster moves ahead of critical NFL Draft decisions.