Despite the widespread belief among scouts that Marvin Harrison Jr. from Ohio State possesses exceptional talent, there is speculation about whether another wide receiver might be selected ahead of him on draft day.
NFL Media’s Daniel Jeremiah suggests that it’s possible.
“It wouldn’t be unexpected if [LSU’s Malik] Nabers ultimately becomes the first wide receiver chosen.”
Dane Brugler from The Athletic concurred, mentioning that numerous teams have identified the 2023 first-team All-American as their top wide receiver prospect.
100% true. Nabers has been viewed as WR1 for several teams since the season. And that says more about Nabers than anything else – he's a special talent. https://t.co/QEQ2tqZDqs
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) March 18, 2024
In 2023, Nabers outperformed Harrison Jr., who is the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Sr. Nabers played 13 games, amassing 89 receptions for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns, while Harrison Jr. played 12 games and recorded 67 receptions for 1,211 yards and also scored 14 touchdowns.
It’s notable that Nabers had the advantage of playing with a stronger quarterback.
LSU’s Jayden Daniels, who won the 2023 Heisman Trophy for the best player in college football, is projected by Tankathon to be selected by the Washington Commanders with the second overall pick. Meanwhile, Kyle McCord transferred from Ohio State to Syracuse after head coach Ryan Day didn’t guarantee him the starting position for the 2024 season.
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Despite Nabers’ strong performance, many draft analysts, including ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., still rank Harrison Jr. higher.
Kiper Jr. expressed high praise for Harrison Jr., comparing him to elite receivers like Calvin Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald and indicating that he’s set to receive his highest pre-draft grade for a wide receiver since 2007.
As of Monday, FanDuel favors Harrison Jr. with the best odds (-1050) to be the first wide receiver selected in the upcoming draft, with Nabers having the second-best odds (+650).
However, the preference for Nabers by some teams indicates that there isn’t a significant gap between these two standout wideouts. Therefore, if a team were to choose Nabers over the 20-year-old Harrison Jr., it wouldn’t be entirely unexpected.
