Harrison didn’t work out at the Combine or at his pro day, instead sticking to a regiment to prepare him to roll right into his NFL team’s workouts as soon as he was drafted. That too resonated with Ossenfort: “Marvin has a plan.”
“The person he is, the player he is, the mindset, I’m excited to get him in here,” Gannon said. “He’s going to get open, catch the ball, and score points.”
Harrison should move immediately into the lineup, joining Michael Wilson and Greg Dortch along with tight end Trey McBride. The son of Colts Hall of Fame wide receiver Marvin Harrison Sr., Harrison Jr. had 67 receptions in 12 games for the Buckeyes, totaling 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns as a junior.
He had 77 catches for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns in 13 games as a sophomore.
“First of all, we want to get him in here and let him carve out a role,” Ossenfort said.
Harrison said Murray “is the kind of guy I want to play with” and had noted the day before to reporters in Detroit that he was a complete receiver, able to play the ‘X’, ‘Z’ and the slot if needed. That’s what Ossenfort wants to see early as the Cardinals figure out exactly how they might want to deploy him.
But the pairing did seem inevitable in some ways, dating all the way back to when Johnson and Harrison were talking before the 2023 draft, and Johnson was hoping to be a Cardinal and the two had discussions of eventually becoming teammates in Arizona.
“I cannot be more excited to be an Arizona Cardinal, really,” Harrison said. “I am super excited to get to work, and that’s where my mind is at right now.”