It’s official. The Bears can add talented Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. to their team if they like. On Thursday, Harrison Jr. officially declared for the NFL Draft.
Harrison Jr. has long been expected to leave college for the pros, so the announcement is not a surprise. Harrison Jr. is already a consensus top-three pick, with some arguing he is the most talented player in this year’s draft.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Chicago sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
It seems unlikely that the Bears would draft Harrison Jr. with the No. 1 overall pick. That slot almost always goes to the top quarterback or pass rusher in the draft. You have to go all the way back to 2013, when offensive tackle Eric Fisher was the No. 1 overall pick, for the last time a QB or EDGE player didn’t come off the board first. The last time a wide receiver went No. 1 overall was when the Jets drafted Keyshawn Johnson in 1996. Coincidentally, that’s the same year Marvin Harrison Jr.’s dad was drafted by the Colts.
Theoretically the Bears could trade back one or two spots and then select Harrison Jr. Pairing the incoming rookie WR with DJ Moore would instantly give the Bears one of the best pass-catching duos in the league.
Over 38 games at Ohio State, Harrison Jr. caught 155 balls for 2,613 yards and 31 touchdowns.