Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. explains skipping pre-draft workouts: I 'trained to play football instead'

DETROIT — Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. has arrived at the 2024 NFL Draft as a mystery prospect of sorts, even though he’s the son of a Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver and was the best pass catcher on one of college football’s best programs the past two years.

The 6-foot-3, 209-pound Harrison Jr., who doesn’t have an agent representing him as he gets set to enter the league, has handled the pre-draft process in a different way than many other prospects, opting not to work out at the NFL Scouting Combine — or even participate in media interviews there. He also didn’t work out at Ohio State’s pro day.

Harrison Jr. is set to attend the draft festivities on Thursday, anticipating his name to be announced early on, possibly within the first five picks. He voiced his excitement at the NFL’s “Play Football” pre-draft event, held in conjunction with the Special Olympics on Wednesday. He emphasized that he wouldn’t miss the opportunity to personally hear his name being called as a first-round pick.

“He stated, ‘This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You only get one chance to walk across the stage and shake the commissioner’s hand, so seize the opportunity.'”

Harrison Jr.’s accomplishments are quite impressive. During his three-year tenure with the Buckeyes, he successfully caught 155 passes, covering 2,613 yards at an average of 16.9 yards, and scored 32 touchdowns in total. Over the last two seasons, he consistently exceeded 1,200 yards and caught 14 touchdowns in each season.

Does Harrison Jr.’s pre-draft strategy of skipping workouts and athletic tests yield results? He explained that his decision to forego most workouts was not due to a lack of initiative but rather his confidence in being among the top picks.

Harrison Jr. shared with NFL Media, “I made the decision to refrain from doing anything not out of indecision, but because of my confidence in where I was headed. Regardless of who drafts me, I’m confident they have done their homework. We’ve had discussions about my health and they are aware of my abilities and skills.”

So, what was the cause? Much of it was related to his father, Marvin Harrison, a former star of the Colts. Instead of an agent, it was his father who guided him throughout the pre-draft process.

Harrison Jr. stated, “After discussing with my dad, we agreed that it’s in our best interest to prepare for the NFL season, rather than focusing on the combine or pro day. We will therefore take our time to be thorough in our preparations. It also involves resting after the season to ensure our bodies are in optimal condition.”

I’m preparing to play football, hence that’s our ultimate goal for the day. Therefore, we ended up training to play football.

Harrison Jr. stated that the greatest business advice he received from his father was to maintain his authentic self.

Harrison Jr. shared that he was advised to ‘just be yourself’. He was told that when interacting with a team, its coaches and general managers, it is important to be genuine. They are looking to understand who you are, so being yourself benefits both parties.

Harrison Jr. stated that he is also waiting in anticipation to discover where he’ll be drafted, just like everyone else. He is uncertain whether he’ll be selected as No. 4 overall by the Arizona Cardinals, No. 5 by the Los Angeles Chargers, or by another team. He expressed his joy at being on the verge of realizing his NFL dreams.

“Whatever the outcome, it will be as it is,” said Harrison Jr. “I’ll appreciate whatever comes, no matter the circumstances.”