Ohio State Football: Genes could mean Buckeyes have someone special

Ohio State football had wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. commit to their 2021 class on Thursday. How good can the son of an NFL Hall of Famer be?

The son of NFL Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison, Marvin Harrison Jr. committed to the Ohio State football program on Thursday. If he is even half as good as his father, then the Buckeyes have someone special.

Yes, I am from Ohio and I am an Ohio State fan, but I was born in Indiana and was raised as an Indianapolis Colts fan. I grew up watching Marvin Harrison make insane catches whenever Peyton Manning threw him the ball, the best quarterback-receiver duo in the history of football.

Harrison went on to rack up 14,580 receiving yards in his career, ninth all-time in NFL history, and he caught 128 touchdowns which is good for fifth all-time. Harrison and Manning also connected for 118 total touchdowns throughout their careers – the most all-time between a quarterback and wide receiver duo.

Jerry Rice is consistently considered the greatest wide receiver of all-time, but this is what former Colts assistant Clyde Christensen said about Harrison according to the IndyStar.

"“Apart from Rice, there’s no one even close to Marvin.”"

Playing around the same time as guys like Randy Moss and Terrell Owens, two guys who liked to talk, people sometimes did not pay as much attention as they should have to Harrison. This was maybe because he would just go out, catch footballs and that was it. He was all business.

This is what his former head coach Tony Dungy said about him according to the IndyStar.

"“With Marvin, it was never flashy. It was never anything but pure, artistic brilliance.”"

Harrison not only had unbelievable hands, but he also had blazing fast speed. This is what Manning said about him according to FOX59

"“He had unbelievable speed,” Manning said. “I had never thrown to anybody that fast before.”"

Harrison Jr. is taller than his dad as he stands at six-foot-four while his father is only six-foot.

He’s not quite as fast as his dad as he runs a 4.64 40-yard-dash, according to 247Sports, and the elder Harrison ran a 4.38 his senior year of college, according to the New York Times. He has a few years to match that time though.

His dad was a big red-zone threat, clearly since he caught the fifth-most touchdowns in NFL history, and Harrison Jr. is too. Here is what 247Sports says about him.

"Red-zone threat. Catches every routine ball and tracks it well. So smooth he makes it look effortless. Needs to add strength to handle jams and before more effective blocker. High-level player for Top 15 college program."

247Sports projects him to be a second or third-round NFL Draft pick, compared to his dad who was the No. 19 pick overall. I, however, think OSU receivers coach Brian Hartline can help become a first-round pick.

Time will tell if Harrison Jr. can live up to his dad but if he has half the work ethic and half the talent then the Buckeyes certainly have someone special. A lot of Buckeye fans are happy about this commit, but as a Colts and Buckeye fan, I think I might be the most ecstatic. I’m excited to see Harrison Jr. in Scarlet and Gray.