Marvin Harrison Jr. leaves college football as one of the top wide receivers the sport has seen in the modern era. His career will go down in Ohio State Buckeyes history as one of the all-time greats, and he looks to become the next great NFL receiver to come off the program’s pipeline to the professional level.
Harrison’s college stats showcase his dominance over his career and his emergence as a legendary Buckeyes receiver.
Marvin Harrison Jr. Waits His Turn in Freshman Year
As the son of an NFL Hall of Famer, Harrison’s expectations were always high. However, he showed promise early in his high school career, setting records at St. Joseph’s Prep School, PA.
Harrison left high school as a four-star recruit and quickly committed to Ohio State over several high-profile schools, including Notre Dame, LSU, and Michigan. The Buckeyes wide receiver coach played a significant role in his recruitment, and Harrison imagined he would be next on the Ohio State professional receiver pipeline.
The sheer depth of talent at the receiver position in Columbus made it difficult for Harrison to get snaps as a freshman. He sat fourth on the depth chart behind Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, all of whom would be first-round draft picks.
Harrison only had receptions in three games during the regular season, his first coming in a nine-yard game against Akron on September 25, 2021. However, he got his first start in the Rose Bowl against Utah due to other receivers opting out.
Harrison had six catches for 71 yards and three touchdowns in his first start as the Buckeyes narrowly beat the Utes 48-45. His three touchdowns tied the Rose Bowl record. It was a sign of things to come, and with Wilson and Olave declaring for the NFL Draft, Harrison became the next man up for Ohio State.
Receptions: 11
Receiving Yards: 139
Receiving Touchdowns: 3
Harrison Arrives As the Top Receiver in the Country
2022 proved to be Harrison’s breakout year. After marking his arrival in college football in the Rose Bowl, the wide receiver continued his dominance, taking his performance and production to another level.
He was relied upon heavily in the Ohio State offense, with Smith-Njigba suffering from an injury for most of the season. This meant the Buckeyes’ offense went through Harrison, leading to a 1,263-yard season and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore.
Harrison had over 100 yards in seven of his 13 starts. He also twice recorded three touchdowns in a single game: against the Arkansas State Red Wolves on September 10 and against the Michigan State Spartans on October 8.
Despite losing to Michigan in the Big Ten Championship Game, Ohio State still made the playoffs in 2022, where Harrison dominated the competition.
The Buckeyes would lose the game, but the WR showed his elite capability by recording five catches for 106 yards in the first half. Harrison was sidelined for the second half due to a concussion, and the Ohio State offense didn’t function the same without him.
A unanimous All-American honor followed as he was named the Richter–Howard Receiver of the Year and ended the season ranked fourth in program history for single-season yards and receptions.
Receptions: 77
Receiving Yards: 1,263
Receiving Touchdowns: 14
Rushing Attempts: 2
Rushing Yards: 32
Rushing Touchdowns: 0
Harrison Writes His Name in Ohio State Folklore
Harrison entered the 2023 season labeled as the best player in the sport. His dominance in 2022 led to legendary status, backed up by another fantastic season.
The elite receiver racked up eight 100-yard seasons in 12 games in 2023, recording 1,211 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns. But, the College Football National Championship he craved eluded him. Harrison’s 2023 yardage total ranks fifth in program history as he put together one of the all-time great careers.
Harrison won the Biletnikoff Award, becoming only the second Buckeyes WR to win the award, and finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting. Furthermore, the Buckeyes WR won the Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year and the Richter-Howard Wide Receiver of the Year for the second consecutive season.
KEEP READING: Ohio State Buckeyes’ Top 10 Returning Players in 2024
Harrison became the first receiver in program history to be a two-time All-American and set the school record for the most 100-yard games in his career with 15. His career ends as one of the most honored wide receivers in Buckeyes history
Receptions: 67
Receiving Yards: 1,211
Receiving Touchdowns: 14
Rushing Attempts: 2
Rushing Yards: 26
Rushing Touchdowns: 1
Harrison’s Final College Stats
Receptions: 155
Receiving Yards: 2,613
Receiving Touchdowns: 31
Rushing Attempts: 4
Rushing Yards: 58
Rushing Touchdowns: 1
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