Twenty years ago today, the Arizona Cardinals selected their best player in franchise history Larry Fitzgerald with the 3rd overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. Fast forward to today the Cardinals just drafted their next Larry Fitzgerald, selecting Marvin Harrison Jr out of the Ohio State University with the 4th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Cardinals fans desperately wanted the team to draft Harrison Jr and he already appears to be a fan favorite, following in the footsteps of Fitzgerald. Marvin Harrison Jr and Larry Fitzgerald have many similarities.
Both Arizona Cardinals Receivers Have Similar Physical Traits
Larry Fitzgerald is 6’3 218 pounds, and Marvin Harrison Jr measures 6’4 205 pounds. During his career, Fitzgerald was known as a receiver who could highpoint the football and be physical at the catch point. Fitzgerald also displayed an elite jumping ability and made contested acrobatic catches look routine. Coincidentally we have seen the same thing out of Harrison throughout his career at Ohio State. It seems as though whenever the quarterback is in trouble he can just throw it up to Harrison Jr, and he’ll come down with it…. just like Fitzgerald. Not to mention both players are also exceptional run blockers with their frames.
The two receivers also have recorded very similar testing times, Fitzgerald recorded a 4.63 40-yard dash, although Harrison did not test at the combine, it was reported that he ran a 4.64 40-yard dash in 2018. Larry Fitzgerald recorded a 38″ inch vertical jump…. Harrison recorded a 39″ inch jump.
Both Arizona Cardinals Receivers Were Legends in College
Fitzgerald and Harrison were both Heisman Trophy finalists. Both players won the Fred Biletnikoff Award for the best wide receiver in the nation in their final season In college. They were also selected to the All-American teams, as well as All-Conference Teams for their respective conferences.
Nearly every weekend this college football season Marvin Harrison Jr spectacular catches went viral. When Fitzgerald was in College he was a mainstay on ESPN Sports Center’s top 10 plays.
Both Arizona Cardinals Receivers Were Top 5 Picks
Coming out of college both Marvin Harrison Jr and Larry Fitzgerald were labeled as the best positional players and can’t miss prospects in their draft classes. It just so happened both players fell right into the Cardinals’ lap as the rest of the early picks in the draft were filled with quarterbacks. Fitzgerald went 3rd overall in the 2004 draft and Harrison 4th in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Both Arizona Cardinals Receivers will be the Face of the New Era of Cardinals Football
Part of the reason the Arizona Cardinals were fortunate enough to draft both receivers was due to poor seasons the year before. In 2004, this led Larry Fitzgerald to become the new face of Cardinal football, and he was able to represent the most successful era of Arizona Cardinals football, something Harrison will look to replicate.
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