Closely linked to a trade-down maneuver, the Cardinals have now scheduled visits with all three of this draft class’ top wide receivers. After their “30” visit with Malik Nabers, the Cards have Marvin Harrison Jr. in town Friday, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.
A Rome Odunze meeting is also on Arizona’s docket. The Cardinals have a chance to acquire considerable future draft capital by trading down from No. 4 overall, but unless they slide down just a few picks (perhaps with the Giants, who sit at No. 6), they will forfeit their access to the Harrison-Nabers-Odunze tier by trading down. This raises the stakes for the receiver-needy team.
Harrison presents an interesting profile. The Ohio State product delivered tremendous on-field production, coming out of a program that has regularly churned out high-level receiver talent in recent years. Harrison also has bucked tradition by not working out for teams during the pre-draft period. After passing on work at the Combine, Harrison also did not perform any drills or run a 40-yard dash at the Buckeyes’ pro day last month. This is highly unusual, but teams are believed to have given the top-flight prospect indications they did not need to see him go through drills during the run-up to the draft.
Rather than training for pre-draft workouts, the second-generation wide receiver talent is taking the atypical step of preparing for an NFL offseason program. With Nabers blazing to a 4.35-second 40 time after moving onto the Harrison tier as a prospect by helping Jayden Daniels to the Heisman, it will be interesting to see if Harrison’s strategy backfires. Though, even if Nabers is the first receiver chosen, Harrison will not need to wait long before he strolls across the draft stage.
While some teams are believed to prefer Nabers, Harrison impressed the Cardinals during his Combine interview. Harrison’s game tape also leaves little doubt about his draft status. Harrison eclipsed 1,200 yards in each of his final two college seasons and caught 14 touchdown passes in both years. Mel Kiper Jr.’s ESPN.com big board places Harrison as this class’ No. 3 overall prospect (and top wideout), while Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com offering has Harrison as No. 2 overall prospect. At 6-foot-3 and 209 pounds, the younger Harrison is much bigger than his Hall of Fame father was during his career.
With quarterbacks widely expected to be chosen in the top three, the Cardinals have a clear opportunity to land this class’ top receiver. The team, which lost Marquise Brown last month, has a glaring need at the position. This draft class houses another deep receiver crop, however, which could convince the Cardinals to trade back — as they did in last year’s first round — to bolster their rebuild.
The Cardinals also hold the No. 27 overall pick, by virtue of their trade-down with the Texans. If the Vikings (No. 11), Broncos (No. 12) or Raiders (No. 13) are to climb up, the Cards could pick up two future firsts. It will be interesting to see if those kind of offers emerge, as that would stand to force the team to consider passing on the Harrison-Nabers-Odunze tier of WR.
Have to imagine the cardinals are looking to replicate what they had with Larry Fitzgerald. Another decade of having a great WR as your best player.