Eric Boggs
Marvin Harrison Jr. has made Ohio State football history by becoming the highest-drafted wide receiver ever from the Buckeyes. The Arizona Cardinals snagged the former Ohio State wideout as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night, breaking Terry Glenn’s previous record of being the highest-drafted Ohio State wide receiver at No. 7 overall in 1996. This pick also marks Harrison as the first non-quarterback chosen in this year’s draft.
Harrison, whose dad is the legendary wide receiver Marvin Harrison Sr., known for his time with Peyton Manning on the Indianapolis Colts, made his own reputation as one of the best wide receivers in the nation while attending Ohio State the past three seasons. The last time a wideout went this high in the draft was when the then-Oakland Raiders picked Amari Cooper at No. 4 overall in 2015.
This achievement adds another feather to Ohio State’s cap, making it the 17th top-four overall pick in the school’s history, tying with USC for the most all-time. Plus, Harrison joins the ranks of other top Buckeye picks, including C.J. Stroud, who was drafted by the Houston Texans at No. 2 overall last year.
It’s not just a one-time glory for Ohio State; they’ve been dominating the first round recently, with four wide receivers drafted in the first round over the past three years, including Harrison’s former teammates Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
The Cardinals must be feeling pretty good about their Buckeye picks, as they also selected Paris Johnson Jr. in the first round last year. In fact, they’re only the third team ever to pull off this back-to-back Buckeye draft feat, joining the Washington Commanders and the New Orleans Saints in this exclusive club.
Harrison’s journey to this historic moment has been remarkable. He made waves as a Buckeye, becoming Ohio State’s first-ever unanimous All-American wide receiver, not once but twice in 2022 and 2023. He also nabbed the Biletnikoff Award in 2023, along with other prestigious honors like the Big Ten Silver Football and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year awards, and was a Heisman Trophy finalist.
Now, Harrison sets his sights on Arizona, aiming to step into the role of the Cardinals’ top wide receiver right off the bat. With his talent and achievements, he’s hoping to follow in the footsteps of his Ohio State predecessors like Wilson and Stroud, who both earned NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
