Though not as coveted as Caleb Williams in a quarterback draft, Marvin Harrison Jr. has many eyes on him ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft. Son of Marvin Harrison, the 21-year-old is the top wide receiver of his class. During a recent segment on the ‘Pat McAfee‘ show, McAfee delved into the draft strategy of prospect Marvin Harrison Jr.
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Marvin Harrison Jr. opted not to participate in traditional combine drills raising a few eyebrows already. Dissecting the situation, McAfee stressed that Harrison’s decision prioritized football drills over NFL Combine tests. While this is in itself a strong selling point, his impressive football skills and family legacy made the highlights.
“It seems to be logical, especially for a guy whose resume has seemingly proven he’s going to be a Sunday guy. He’s a legacy player. His dad obviously Hall of Famer at the same exact position. He has uncles around, you know football, that are all Hall of Famers. It’s like everything about him screams. This guy’s going to have at least a 10-year career because he lives it right. You hear his work ethic is absurd.”
According to McAfee, Harrison’s football fundamentals have caused him to cultivate a commitment to the sport. His top-class form comes from focusing on route-running and ball-catching rather than combining metrics. The analyst also emphasized Harrison’s lineage which certainly speaks for itself.
Interestingly, Michael Lombardi believed that skipping traditional combine drills was fine for a Wide Receiver of Marvin Harrison Jr’s caliber. The former coach called Harrison Jr an exception and claimed that his resume and size speak for themselves.
Lombardi further added that players like Harrison Jr who are tall and have a longer wingspan can stay open and get the ball. Hence, even though they might not have great “40 times,” they can make excellent plays down the field.
Michael Lombardi’s Analogy of Marvin Harrison Jr.’s Decision and Michael Irvin’s Workout
Pat McAfee’s discussion on Marvin Harrison Jr.’s draft strategy sheds light on the unconventional approach of skipping traditional combine workouts even by some of the greatest prospects. He brought to light Harrison’s football lineage leading guest Michael Lombardi to draw parallels to legendary players like Michael Irvin, who also bypassed workouts for NFL teams.
Lombardi, an NFL analyst and former coach, supported Harrison’s decision by recalling how Michael Irvin had behaved in a similar fashion. He shared an anecdote about attempting to work out Irvin, who often refused to participate in workouts for NFL teams. Despite some initial friction, Irvin’s competitive spirit emerged when Lombardi began working out other players.
“When I started working out other guys, he came over and said damn I’ll do that, no problem. I’ll kick that and he came over and worked out. So the competitive fire comes out in the players.”
Irvin’s 12-year career showed how his impact extended beyond his on-field talent through his leadership and work ethic. His attempts to perfect his craft led to other highlights like impromptu pass route sessions with teammates. As Harrison is seen following in the footsteps of legendary players like Irvin, his out-of-the-box methods to approach the draft process will be closely monitored.
