NFL Draft expert compares Marvin Harrison Jr. to DeAndre Hopkins

Former Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is expected to be the first wide receiver taken in this year’s NFL Draft. ESPN recently released its NFL draft comps, and NFL analyst Matt Bowen compares Harrison to star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.

“Harrison displays the savvy route-running traits, coverage awareness and high-end ball skills/body control that remind me of Hopkins’ style of play,” Bowen wrote. “With the flexibility to isolate on the boundary or work out of the slot, the Ohio State receiver has three-level matchup ability and an All-Pro upside.”

Hopkins was selected in the first round (No. 27 overall) by the Houston Texans in the 2013 NFL Draft. He also spent time with the Arizona Cardinals and is currently with the Tennessee Titans. In his career, Hopkins has been selected to the Pro Bowl five times and the All-Pro Team five times. He has caught 928 passes for 12,355 yards and 78 touchdowns.

Marvin Harrison Jr. visiting NFL teams

As the draft gets closer, Harrison is visiting teams that could select him. Last week, the former Ohio State wide receiver visited the Cardinals. And on Monday, the Chicago Bears hosted Harrison for a top-30 visit.

The Cardinals could likely select Harrison since they have the No. 4 overall pick and need a weapon for quarterback Kyler Murray. After the combine, Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort revealed where they stand with Harrison.

“Marvin’s been a great player,” Ossenfort said, per ESPN. “He’s been a productive player these last couple years. It’s a strong receiver draft, it is. There’s good players at the top of the draft, there’s good depth throughout the mid-rounds.

“I really don’t want to get into an individual scouting report right now. All I can tell you is we’ve done a lot of work on Marvin, just like we have in the rest of the draft, and we’re excited to continue to work him here through the process for the next couple months.”

Harrison, 21, was arguably the best wide receiver in college football the last two seasons. He was named a unanimous All-American in 2022 and 2023 and won the Fred Biletnikoff Award last season. In his last years at Ohio State, Harrison recorded at least 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns. He is the son of Marvin Harrison, a Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver who spent his entire career with the Indianapolis Colts (1996-2008).