Marvin Harrison Jr., the standout receiver for Ohio State, is keeping his options open for the 2024 season, as he remains “undecided” about his future plans, the 2023 Heisman Trophy finalist revealed during a press conference on Thursday. The son of Hall of Fame NFL receiver Marvin Harrison is regarded as a potential first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but his decision to enter would mark the conclusion of his illustrious NCAA career without achieving two significant goals: a victory against arch-rival Michigan and a Big Ten championship.
Harrison expressed his uncertainty, stating, “I’m still undecided. You guys know, coming into this year, I wanted to beat ‘The Team Up North’ [Michigan] and win a Big Ten championship. And obviously, I didn’t do that this year. So I think that’s a great motive to come back, if that’s what I decide to do, because that’s something I definitely wanted to do in my Ohio State career. Not being able to have done that yet definitely opens the door for me to come back.”
In the 2023 season, Harrison showcased his exceptional talent, accumulating 67 receptions for 1,211 yards and an impressive 14 touchdowns, leading Ohio State in all major receiving categories. No other player on the Buckeyes’ roster came close, with the next highest receiver amassing just 576 yards.
Harrison’s outstanding performance earned him First Team All-Big Ten honors for the second consecutive season. He also received recognition as the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. Among his many accolades, Harrison stands as a finalist for the prestigious Biletnikoff Award, which is presented annually to the most outstanding receiver in college football, regardless of position.
Reflecting on his achievements, Harrison humbly remarked, “I’m definitely blessed to be getting all the recognition that I am for these different awards. But I think I’d trade it all for a win against The Team Up North and get to [Indianapolis] and play in the Big Ten championship.”
Furthermore, Harrison played a pivotal role in Ohio State’s journey to the College Football Playoff in 2022, where he recorded 77 receptions for a total of 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns. His performance in the 2023 season, amassing over 1,000 receiving yards once again, solidified his status as the first player in Ohio State history to achieve this feat in consecutive seasons.
Throughout his three-year career at Ohio State, Harrison has amassed an impressive 155 receptions, accounting for a total of 2,613 yards and an impressive 31 touchdowns, averaging 16.9 yards per reception.
Despite an 11-1 record, Ohio State narrowly missed out on a spot in the College Football Playoff, ranking seventh in the final CFP Rankings. The Buckeyes still have a challenging matchup ahead against the ninth-ranked Missouri in the Cotton Bowl Classic, scheduled for December 29 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. It’s worth noting that several Buckeyes players have entered the transfer portal since the conclusion of the regular season, including starting quarterback Kyle McCord, who was once Harrison’s high school teammate.