Michigan star Will Johnson’s take on comparing former Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. and Jeremiah Smith isn’t what you think it is
Since Brian Hartline has been in Columbus with the Ohio State Buckeyes, pumping out wide receivers has been something no one else has done better. Most recently in the 2024 NFL Draft, Marvin Harrison Jr. was selected in the top five by the Arizona Cardinals. Harrison Jr. had a solid rookie season clearing 800 yards, […]
Since Brian Hartline has been in Columbus with the Ohio State Buckeyes, pumping out wide receivers has been something no one else has done better.
Most recently in the 2024 NFL Draft, Marvin Harrison Jr. was selected in the top five by the Arizona Cardinals. Harrison Jr. had a solid rookie season clearing 800 yards, though most felt he was going to have a bigger year.
Harrison Jr. was great in Columbus and the Buckeyes did well replacing him with Jeremiah Smith, who they’ll still have two more seasons after his superb freshman season.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, Michigan star CB Will Johnson made quite the statement comparing Harrison Jr. and Smith.
“I would say Marv seems a little more dynamic,” Johnson told the media at the combine. “I haven’t seen a freshman like that before in college either. Big guy. Great catch radius.”
An interesting take by Johnson, who believes that Harrison Jr. is more dynamic than Smith. The former Buckeye was great in Columbus but he wasn’t always a big play waiting to take the top of the defense off. That is sort of what Smith was right from the start. Harrison Jr.’s senior mark of 18.1 yards per reception was a mark that Smith nearly reached as a freshman with 17.3 yards per reception.
Harrison Jr. has matched up with Johnson a couple of times in the past years, while Johnson was out when Ohio State played Michigan in 2024 when Smith had five catches for 35 yards and a touchdown. Ohio State struggled badly in that game and lost 13-10. After that point, the Buckeyes went on a historical college football run.
Smith finished his freshman season with 76 catches, 1,315 receiving yards, and the 15 touchdowns. It was the best freshman season ever seen in Columbus by a freshman wideout.
Johnson is entitled to his opinion, however, it is a questionable one at best. Smith has two seasons left in Columbus to show just how dynamic he can be.
