Marvin Harrison Jr. is considered by some to be a generational talent at wide receiver, which is why the Arizona Cardinals took him with the fourth overall pick of the NFL Draft in April. Apparently, Harrison is already wowing his teammates, like fellow wide out Michael Wilson.
While discussing Harrison, Wilson used a very interesting word to describe him: perspicacious.
“He is very perspicacious and always seeking information,” Wilson said, via Darren Urban of the Cardinals' team website.
Harrison didn't even pretend to know what the word meant, but he took it as a compliment.
“Whatever that means, it's awesome,” a smiling Harrison said.
Perspicacious means to be very aware of your surroundings and to be discerning of them. It also means to be very insightful. Clearly, Harrison has made quite an impact on his new ballclub already, and he isn't allowing it to change who he is as a person.
“You come in and give respect to people before you no matter where you are drafted,” Harrison said. “I didn't want to come in here with a big head.”
Marvin Harrison Jr. will likely be the Cardinals' No. 1 receiver
The Cardinals desperately needed weapons heading into the NFL Draft, particularly after watching Marquise Brown walk in free agency and trading away Rondale Moore. That's why most had Arizona selecting Harrison at No. 4, so the pick came as no surprise.
Harrison spent three seasons at Ohio State and broke through in his sophomore campaign in 2022, hauling in 77 receptions for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns. He followed that up by catching 67 passes for 1,211 yards and 14 scores last year.
The 21-year-old has outstanding size at 6-foot-4 and also has blazing speed. Given the Cardinals' lack of talent in their receiving corps overall, Harrison will almost certainly step in as the No. 1 receiver for quarterback Kyler Murray right off the bat.
Of course, there is also Wilson, who enjoyed a pretty impressive rookie campaign in his own right, snaring 38 balls for 565 yards and three touchdowns in 2023. However, he profiles more as No. 2 receiver than a frontline guy, which is where Harrison comes into play.
With Harrison, Wilson and tight end Trey McBride, Arizona suddenly has a decent arsenal of pass-catchers at its disposal. Obviously, Harrison still has to prove himself, but he is considered a can't-miss prospect and should be just fine on the professional level.
The Cardinals are aiming to rebound from a horrendous 4-13 campaign, but it should be noted that Murray missed nine games while recovering from a torn ACL. The Cards went a fairly respectable 3-5 after Murray's return, indicating that they probably would have finished with more than four wins had he played the entire season.
Arizona appeared to be an up and coming team several years ago, especially after pairing top-flight receiver DeAndre Hopkins with Murray. However, injury issues derailed Hopkins' brief stay in the desert, and Murray stagnated after a couple of very eye-opening campaigns to begin his NFL tenure.
We'll see if Harrison can help elevate the Cardinals in the rough NFC West in 2024.
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