Marvin Harrison Jr. — NFL Mock Draft Roundup 1.0

This is a perfect scenario for the Cardinals, with Harrison falling right into their lap. I've compared the former Buckeyes star to franchise icon Larry Fitzgerald.

The 4-win season wasn't entirely unexpected for the 2023 Arizona Cardinals, however wins over playoff teams Dallas and Philadelphia (on the road) showed that the undermanned Cardinals could compete with the NFLs better squads.

With 13 draft picks - including 6 in the top-100, the team can dramatically improve their lineup heading into 2024.

QB Kyler Murray will be happy to see GM Monte Ossenfort draft WR Marvin Harrison, one of the best WR prospects that's come along in recent years (and that's saying alot). Ossenfort, however, will be offered a king's ransom for the #4 pick as QB-needy teams (ATL, MIN, DEN, LV) jockey for position.

Larry Fitzgerald gave Arizona 17 seasons after being selected No. 3 overall. The hope is that Marvin Harrison Jr. has similar longevity in the NFL. He has every tool in his bag and projects as one of the elite pass-catchers in the game.

The Cardinals are absolutely thrilled to land Harrison Jr. to give the receiver group a jolt for Kyler Murray.

The draft's top receiver, Marvin Harrison Jr., falls right into the Cardinals' lap after quarterbacks go with the first three picks.

The Patriots were cruising to the No. 2 pick until two wins in their final five games dropped them to No. 3. While that likely takes them out of contention for Williams or Maye, the Patriots still have several favorable options.

With Bill Belichick no longer with the organization, there is a level of unknown here, especially considering New England needs help in so many areas. Despite questions about who will throw him the ball, though, drafting a legitimate No. 1 target is the wise move.

The main pieces of Chicago's front office are back in '24, as should Justin Fields. He is not the problem in Chicago and the team won seven games this year. Marvin Harrison Jr. is my top prospect in the class and he would immediately boost the performance ceiling of the offense and introduce one of football's most dynamic 1-2 punches on the perimeter with D.J. Moore.

The New England Patriots make the easiest decision of the new Jerod Mayo era by selecting Marvin Harrison Jr. at third overall. The best player in the draft, Harrison Jr. is likely to slide based on positional importance, with quarterbacks getting the benefit of the doubt.

But take nothing away from Harrison Jr.; he's an All-Pro candidate the second his name is announced on draft night. In fact, Harrison Jr. would've been an All-Pro candidate during the 2023 NFL season had he been eligible to be drafted in last year's class; that's how good he is.

Would GM Monti Ossenfort move on from Kyler Murray and select one of the top-3 QBs here if one is available? Perhaps, but I'm thinking the Cardinals are still committed to Murray, and Ossenfort wouldn't complain if he were able to fill one of his roster's biggest needs with the top overall prospect in the draft. If we were to "Weird Science" a wide receiver, the computer would almost certainly produce Harrison. The consensus All-American is a route tactician who features prototypical size (6-foot-4, 205 pounds), strong hands and athleticism with Hall of Fame NFL lineage (he's the son of Colts legend Marvin Harrison). The last receiver to be drafted inside the top-3 was Calvin Johnson in 2007, and Harrison has that type of potential.

This mock draft couldn't have worked out any better for the Arizona Cardinals.

With three quarterbacks picked in a row, that leaves Marvin Harrison Jr. on the board at No. 4. Wide receiver is the most significant need for Arizona, and Harrison is a can't-miss prospect. Pairing him with Kyler Murray would be a blast to watch.

There's no way around it: the Patriots need a quarterback. Both Caleb Williams and Drake Maye are expected to be off the board (and in this scenario they are). Does this lead to New England looking for a bridge signal caller through a trade or free agency?

If that happens, I'd expect the Patriots to take the best player in the draft in Marvin Harrison Jr. He's the type of playmaker they've lacked since Randy Moss. There's also a world where they fall in love with the talent of quarterback Jayden Daniels and select the 2023 Heisman winner here, but Harrison is the much better overall prospect.

Kyler Murray is back from injury, but his passing game has degraded from his early highs. The Cardinals could opt to move on from him if a quarterback were available here ... except his 2022 $230 million contract extension means he can't be released or traded before the draft without incurring a massive financial penalty (~$46 million in dead salary cap space). That puts value in rehabilitating him, and there's no better healing potion than one of the best wide receiver prospects of the last three decades.

Harrison Jr. is the latest link in a chain of great Buckeye wideouts and the strongest. He's racked up nearly 2,500 receiving yards and 28 touchdowns over the last two seasons (25 games). He's big (6-foot-3), fast and possesses the kind of body control of which ballet dancers would be jealous.

If we were playing a game of matchmaker, the prospect-to-team fit that makes the most sense of any first-round pick is Harrison to the Cardinals. Quarterback Kyler Murray won't hesitate to throw the ball up to his receivers in one-on-one situations, and Harrison -- my top-ranked player in this class -- is exactly what's needed on a roster that's still devoid of high-end talent. Plus, Marquise Brown is a free agent and might not be back.

Harrison's combination of hands, body control and route running make him the clear best receiver in a loaded group, and he has a chance to quickly become a top-10 target at the next level. He is coming off back-to-back seasons with 14 touchdowns and more than 1,200 yards at Ohio State.

I'm on record wanting the Cardinals to reset the QB clock and move on from Kyler Murray, but Arizona coach Jonathan Gannon has said they won't do that. The Ravens upgraded their WR room around Lamar Jackson; he's going to win the MVP award and they are the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Hopefully, Harrison makes Murray a better QB.