For those who thought that Marvin Harrison Jr., the top pass-catcher taken in last year’s draft, had an underwhelming rookie season, his former receivers coach at Ohio State has a message:
Relax.
Brian Hartline, now the offensive coordinator for the Buckeyes, expects an uptick in Harrison’s performance in his second NFL season.
“Marv’s just got to keep being Marv,” Hartline told me. “Whatever the success, or lack thereof, that people think he had, it probably was not because of Marv’s process or how he operates. I’m sure there were some other variables involved that he can’t control.
“Marv’s got to be Marv. He will do that. I’m excited to see what he does in Year 2. Most guys make that jump in Year 2, and I know without a doubt Marv will.”
During their time together at Ohio State, Brian Hartline (left) helped turn Marvin Harrison Jr. into a top-five NFL Draft pick. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
One receiver who knows what it takes to make that second-year jump is Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist Torry Holt. As a rookie with the St. Louis Rams in 1999, Holt finished with 52 catches for 788 yards and six touchdowns. He followed that with 82 receptions for 1,635 yards and six touchdowns in his second year, earning a trip to the Pro Bowl after the 2000 season.
Holt attributed his jump in production to sticking around the facility during the offseason to work on his game.
“I didn’t leave St. Louis, and if I did, it wasn’t for long,” Holt told me. “I went home for a little bit of training and to see family, and then I was back in the building. The coaches labeled me a gym rat because I was always there.
“I spent time watching tape, understanding and getting a better feel for the offense and what my role was in the offense, so I could play at a high level for a long period of time, and consistently. … That was my thing. I hung around. I worked with the coaches when they were there. I worked with the strength coaches when they were there. I worked on my own. It didn’t matter to me. I just wanted to be in the building, finding a way to get better at my craft.”
As a rookie with the Cardinals last season, Harrison totaled 62 catches for 885 yards and eight touchdowns, comparable numbers to what his father, Hall of Fame receiver Marvin Harrison Sr., posted in his rookie season (64 catches, 836 yards, eight touchdowns for the Indianapolis Colts in 1996).
The younger Harrison’s rookie numbers were actually better than franchise icon Larry Fitzgerald’s 58 catches for 780 yards in his rookie year with Arizona. In his second season, 2005, Fitzgerald improved his numbers to 103 catches for 1,049 yards and made his first of 11 Pro Bowls.
Both Fitzgerald and Harrison played their high school football in Philadelphia, and Fitzgerald told me he followed Harrison’s career all through high school and college. Fitzgerald’s son, Devin, a high school receiver in Phoenix who’s committed to play at Notre Dame, talks regularly with Harrison after a chance meeting earlier this year.
“He’s a tremendous young player,” Fitzgerald said about Harrison. “He had a really nice rookie season. He made a lot of plays. And it looks like he’s gotten a lot stronger physically. So, to be able to get off press [coverage] and be capable to have the physicality within the operating recreation and the issues he must do, it’s going to be an enormous profit to him.
“I additionally suppose in 12 months 2 the sport simply naturally slows down. You realize the system higher. You realize the circulation of the season and the schedule. There’s not as many mysteries entering into. You’ve executed it already. You’ve performed. … You realize the hand alerts. You realize the changes. You realize two-minute and the situational soccer. All of these issues get considerably simpler for you going into 12 months 2. It undoubtedly did for me.”
This offseason, Harrison stayed in Arizona to coach, including extra muscle to his 6-foot-3 body. He wouldn’t disclose how a lot weight he’s gained, however he is hopeful the added bulk will assist him be extra constant in making contested catches. Harrison had a contested-catch price of 42.1% in 2024, No. 110 within the NFL, in line with Professional Soccer Focus.
Marvin Harrison struggled with making contested catches as a rookie in 2024. (Picture by Bruce Yeung/Getty Photos)
“Soccer is a bodily recreation,” Harrison mentioned. “You’ve got plenty of contested-catch conditions, run after catch and issues like that. We’ll see how issues play out.”
Amongst receivers with at the least 100 targets final season, solely Calvin Ridley (53.3%) had a decrease catch price (proportion of focused throws that end in receptions) than Harrison’s 53.4%. Additionally, Harrison’s two yards of common separation per route run was the bottom amongst receivers with at the least 45 targets, in line with Subsequent Gen Stats.
How Harrison was utilized in Arizona’s offense performed a task in these daunting statistics. On in-breaking routes, he was focused 40 instances, ending with 28 receptions for 499 yards (70% catch price) and 4 touchdowns with one interception, in line with Subsequent Gen Stats. On out-breaking routes, Harrison completed with 15 receptions for 148 yards on 26 targets, with two touchdowns and an interception (57.7% catch price).
Essentially the most regarding stat is perhaps this one: Harrison’s 45 uncatchable targets have been probably the most within the league, in line with Professional Soccer Focus. That speaks to an absence of chemistry with quarterback Kyler Murray. Harrison mentioned they’ve labored to get in sync this offseason by getting extra reps on the sphere.
“Routes on air,” Harrison mentioned. “Simply going on the market and competing, finishing passes and getting our timing down on routes that we possibly labored on final yr, or which can be new this yr. So, simply us with the ability to go on the market and sort of simply with the ability to do issues with our eyes closed, in order that it occurs naturally.”
Murray believes that diligent work between the 2 will result in higher manufacturing for Harrison and the Cardinals in 2025.
“Now he’s on the level the place he’s undoubtedly extra comfy, and I can see it on the market on the sphere,” Murray mentioned. “And I believe that can solely permit him to play sooner and be the man we all know he might be.”
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for greater than a decade, overlaying the Los Angeles Rams for Sports activities Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma Information Tribune. Comply with him on X at @eric_d_williams.
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