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The Indianapolis Colts have the No. 15 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but that’s not stopping owner Jim Irsay of dreaming about Ohio State star Marvin Harrison Jr. Irsay recently admitted “great” interest in Harrison in an interview with Mike Chappell of Fox 59.
Of course, the problem is Harrison will likely go in the top five of the draft, perhaps as high as No. 4 to the Arizona Cardinals. Irsay acknowledged the difficulty of moving up to No. 4 but didn’t want to “rule anything out.”
It would cost a whole lot to make such a big jump up the draft. As Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz notes, the Cardinals are “driving a hard bargain” when it comes to a possible trade of that No. 4 pick. Arizona will also reportedly not consider actually making a trade until it’s on the clock. Schultz adds the Cardinals would be “more than happy” to simply select Harrison at No. 4.
Harrison has long been considered the top wide receiver in the 2024 draft, though LSU product Malik Nabers has gotten some recent hype as the possible No. 1 guy. Harrison, Nabers, and Washington’s Rome Odunze are the clear-cut top three at the position.
Colts’ WR situation heading into draft
Marvin Harrison Jr.’s talent is tantalizing, but would it even make sense for the Colts to trade up 11 spots to draft him? If they really like him that much and believe he would be a game-changer for young quarterback Anthony Richardson, it could be worth it to invest so much in such a trade.
The Colts do have some nice young talent in their receiver corps, with 26-year-old Michael Pittman Jr. still in the fold as the No. 1 option after signing a new contract extension. 22-year-old Josh Downs had an impressive rookie season, catching 68 passes for 771 yards and two scores. 23-year-old Alec Pierce caught 32 passes for 514 yards and two touchdowns in Year 2.
While that’s a nice group, it’s never a bad idea to surround a young quarterback with as much talent as possible. Richardson showed a lot of promise in his first few games of his rookie season, but a shoulder injury cut it short after four games. Helping him out with another top target would be good for his development.
Marvin Harrison Jr. is a stud
Again, it’s not hard to see why Jim Irsay, the Cardinals and so many others around the NFL want to get their hands on Marvin Harrison Jr. After a quiet freshman campaign at Ohio State, Harrison broke out in a big way in his sophomore season with the Buckeyes, catching 77 passes for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns. He put up similar numbers as a junior with 67 catches, 1,211 yards, and 14 scores, and he did it despite a much more questionable quarterback situation after C.J. Stroud’s departure to the NFL.
Harrison was getting hype as one of the best wide receiver prospects in recent memory, though his decision to skip both the NFL Combine and the Ohio State Pro Day raised eyebrows. It seems as if some have been looking to poke holes in his NFL outlook thanks to this, which is just one reason there are now some touting Malik Nabers as the top receiver in the draft.
Perhaps Nabers winds up being better, as nothing is guaranteed, but Harrison still projects as a star at the next level. Wherever he goes, whether it’s the Cardinals, Colts or somewhere else, he should be a difference maker.
More must-reads:
- Three dark-horse contenders for 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
- Dolphins add another star playmaker on offense
- The 'AP First-Team All-Pro tight ends' quiz
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