By DAVID BRANDT (AP Sports Writer)
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Cardinals picked Marvin Harrison Jr. as the 4th overall selection in the NFL draft on Thursday night, aiming for the Ohio State standout to become the team’s main playmaker for quarterback Kyler Murray.
Harrison, who is 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 205 pounds, has been compared to Larry Fitzgerald, who was arguably the team’s best player after accumulating over 17,000 receiving yards in 17 seasons before retiring in 2020.
Harrison also has an impressive family background. He’s the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison, but he’s much larger than his father and has a unique blend of size, speed, and athleticism. He caught 67 passes for 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns in his final season with the Buckeyes.
Arizona had a great opportunity to select one of the draft’s top non-quarterbacks. The teams with the top three picks all needed QBs, but the Cardinals already have Murray, who has a $230.5 million, five-year deal that could keep him in Arizona through 2028.
It was the first pick of a crucial draft for the Cardinals, who have 10 more picks over the next three days, including the No. 27 overall pick later Thursday. Arizona has had a 4-13 record in each of the last two seasons.
The Cardinals' general manager, Monti Ossenfort, decided to use the 4th pick instead of trading down for potentially more selections.
This was a different approach compared to his first season with the club, when the Cardinals initially had the 3rd overall pick but made several trades on draft night before settling on the 6th pick, which was used to select offensive lineman Paris Johnson Jr.
Johnson started all 17 games at right tackle last season.
Harrison is expected to have an immediate impact, especially considering the Cardinals' lack of top-tier receivers. Tight end Trey McBride had a breakthrough season in 2023 with 825 receiving yards and three touchdowns, while Michael Wilson also had a promising rookie season with 565 receiving yards.
However, the No. 1 receiver position is up for grabs, and the Cardinals certainly hope Harrison can take it.
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