Marvin Harrison Jr. will likely be a top-four pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Will he wind up with the Indianapolis Colts?
Indianapolis currently holds the 15th overall pick. There’s no way Harrison, the top wide receiver prospect, falls that far.
The Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders, and New England Patriots own the top three picks in the draft. Each of those teams is expected to take a quarterback.
Most mock drafts have Harrison going fourth overall to the Arizona Cardinals. That means the Colts will have to trade up if they want to land the Ohio State star.
What will it take to move up to the fourth pick? A deal would probably be highlighted by the 15th pick this year and a first-rounder in 2025. While that’s a lot to give up, it could prove to be a great move for Indianapolis.
Indianapolis Colts: Trading Up For Marvin Harrison Jr. is Worth It
Superstar at Ohio State
Marvin Harrison Jr. played three seasons with the Ohio State Buckeyes. He was a two-time All-American and won the Fred Biletnikoff Award last season.
Harrison wasn’t a go-to guy right off the bat. He took the back seat to current NFL wideouts like Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He caught 11 passes for 139 yards and three touchdowns during his freshman year.
Wilson and Olave both left and became first-round picks in the 2022 draft. That opened the door for Harrison to have a breakout sophomore season. He went on to record 77 receptions for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns.Last season, Harrison caught 67 passes for 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns. He finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting behind Jayden Daniels, Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix.
Marvin Harrison Jr. is Just What the Colts Need
As everybody knows, Marvin Harrison Jr.’s father, Marvin Harrison, is a Colts legend. He spent his entire career in Indianapolis, becoming one of the greatest receivers in NFL history. He also helped the team win Super Bowl XLI over the Bears.
But that’s not the reason the Colts should acquire Harrison Jr. They need him because he has the potential to be an elite NFL receiver.
Indianapolis has a good, young WR corps. The unit includes Michael Pittman Jr., who was re-signed this offseason, Josh Downs, and Alec Pierce.
Adding the talented Harrison would improve the WR room significantly. The Philadelphia native has very good speed and acceleration as well as excellent body control. He can punish defenses that try to cover him one-on-one.
Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson missed most of his rookie season with a shoulder injury. The fourth overall pick in last year’s draft will return to the field next season and should be 100 percent healthy. He will need an offensive weapon like Harrison to help him have a breakout 2024 campaign.
Giving up a smorgasbord of draft picks to get Harrison is a risky move. Just because he’s supposed to be a star doesn’t mean he will. It’s possible he could be a major disappointment. Losing two first-round picks for a bust could hurt the Colts for years to come. However, taking a chance on a generational talent like Marvin Harrison Jr. would be worth the risk.
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