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Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort reveals process leading up to drafting Marvin Harrison Jr.

Originally posted on Burn City Sports | By Alec Cipollini | Last updated 4/26/24

Following their excruciatingly hard day at work, Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort was more than pleased with drafting wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and defensive tackle Darius Robinson.

When speaking to the media about Harrison Jr. specifically, he is excited to add a potential superstar to his team’s offense. After trading Rondale Moore to the Atlanta Falcons and seeing Marquise Brown sign with the Kansas City Chiefs, the sense was that Arizona would go after MHJ in the draft.

However, there was a strong feeling that Ossenfort was going to listen to potential trade offers for the No. 4 pick before calling in the Ohio State star’s name.

“We were busy on the phone for most of the day and really with the spot that we were in, it was teams coming to us,” Ossenfort said. “Wasn’t a situation where we weren’t looking to move the pick and we were just doing due diligence as those phone calls came in. As always, we are going to listen but ultimately we were excited to stick and pick at No. 4.

“We were prepared to pick and we were prepared to pick Marvin [Harrison Jr.] at four. There was really no trade that came that was going to get us off that pick. If somebody would have came and offered something and it would have been best for the team, we would have done it. Ultimately, we felt the best tonight sticking with Marvin at No. 4.”

Tune in now to hear Jonathan Gannon and Monti Ossenfort talk about the first round #NFLDraft picks. https://t.co/n3vPpSrbSF

— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) April 26, 2024

Up until the night of the draft, Ossenfort, head coach Jonathan Gannon, scouts and the rest of the Cards’ front office did their homework on which prospects would be the right choices for the organization.

Meeting numerous amount of players at the NFL Scouting Combine and hosting them for Top-30 visits, MHJ made a lasting impression that made the Cardinals confident enough to select him.

“We got to meet with Marvin a couple of times,” Ossenfort said. ” We met with him at the Combine which was the first time we got to sit down across from him for a formal interview then. Then we brought him to town for a Top-30 visit. I think really spending the day with Marvin was great. The Combine interviews are quick, just a small sample size. For the 30 visit the whole day, you get a really good feel for who these guys are as people.”

When evaluating and interviewing players, there could be misconceptions that someone would be picked purely based on their skill. They may be the best player on the field, but off of they could be vastly different.

With Harrison Jr., however, the whole package of his skill, personality and character which he brings to the table makes him a perfect fit for the Cardinals who want to build a strong culture.

“With Marvin, just maturity, accountability and dependability. I think he checks all those boxes and he has been around football his whole life. I am really excited about the way he approaches his job and how he’s gone about it. He’s come from a good program at Ohio State, they rave about him. So we are really excited to get him in here.”

For Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft, Ossenfort and the Cardinals’ front office will be selecting at No. 35, 66, 71 (via Tennessee Titans) and 90 (via Houston Texans) in the second and third rounds.