Why Marvin Harrison Jr. Is Best WR In CFB

Picture this: It’s the start of November and the 2023 NFL Draft is five months away. Your favorite NFL team needs a legit wide receiver prospect and you ask, “who is the best receiver in college football?” Well, I hate to break it to you, but he’s a true sophomore and is not eligible: Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. 

Harrison Jr. is listed at 6-foot-3 and 206 pounds with deep speed (23mph on the GPS). Currently, Harrison Jr. ranks 12th in the nation in receiving yards, second in receiving touchdowns, and 27th in receptions. Without the presence of star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba for the Buckeyes, Harrison Jr. saw the opportunity to step into the vacated WR1 role for Ohio State’s offense and grabbed the bull by the horns.

Harrison Jr. does not have the best overall numbers but his game has shined the brightest. He has eclipsed 180-plus yards through the air twice this season—most recently doing so against a talented Penn State defensive secondary. He has a combination of traits and skills we desire in No. 1-caliber wide receivers. 

 The height, weight, speed, route-running, and ball skills are outstanding. There are moments in games where Harrison Jr. is utterly dominant and nearly impossible to stop. Although, his box score shows how good he has been this year, scout the tape to truly grasp his greatness.

The 2022 wide receiver class has plenty of talent, Jordan Addison, Quentin Johnston, the aforementioned Smith-Njigba, Kayshon Boutte, Josh Downs, etc. but Harrison Jr. ranks ahead of them all as a true sophomore. I can only imagine how much more advanced and difficult he will be to defend with another offseason to grow. As the son of 2016 Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Marvin Harrison Sr, putting cornerbacks in through the wringer is genetically gifted! 

Does he have talent around him in the same positional room? Absolutely. But when C.J. Stroud is in a “got to have it” moment, he looks in Harrison Jr’s direction. Passes to Harrison Jr. do not have to be pinpoint accurate due to his ability to play above the rim with immense body control. I hate the term “generational” and will not use it, but I will say, Harrison Jr. is “SPECIAL!”

 When I look at his complete package of skills, I think about those that came before him: Julio Jones, Ja’Marr Chase, Mike Evans, Amari Cooper, and DeAndre Hopkins, to name a few. Harrison Jr. has everything you want in a wide receiver from a physical and athletic standpoint. Pair that with his studious and hardcore work ethic and the result is a player on the path to stardom!

Harrison Jr. has taken college football and Twitter by storm with his incredible display of skills this season. He still has a high-profile matchup versus Ohio State’s rival Michigan to close the regular season. The Wolverine’s defense has played good football and their secondary has multiple NFL-caliber prospects in it. Harrison Jr. will have another opportunity to set everything ablaze with another jaw-dropping performance on a primetime stage.

So, who is the best wide receiver in college football for 2022? Look no further than Marvin Harrison Jr.