Marvin Harrison Jr. Decision Could Directly Impact Patriots Draft

The New England Patriots enter Week 14 slated to receive the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The Patriots’ draft position could slightly move in the closing weeks of the regular season based on outcomes, but New England is in a good position to land a top three pick.

It’s almost a consensus at this point that USC quarterback Caleb Williams and North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye along with Ohio State wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. will be the top three choices in the draft. The Patriots could use any of the three since they desperately need upgrades at both positions.

But if the Patriots end up holding the third overall selection and the two signal-callers go off the board first, the fantastic consolation prize that would be Harrison might not even be available to the Patriots.

While it seems most likely Harrison would make the jump to the pros, the highly talented receiver didn’t rule out the possibility of returning to Ohio State for his senior season.

“I’m still undecided,” Harrison told reporters Thursday, per ESPN’s Blake Baumgartner. “You guys know, coming into this year, I wanted to beat ‘The Team Up North’ (Michigan) and win a Big Ten championship. And obviously I didn’t do that this year.

“So I think that’s a great motive to come back, if that’s what I decide to do, because that’s something I definitely wanted to do in my Ohio State career. Not being able to have done that yet definitely opens the door for me to come back.”

Harrison, who is one of four finalists for the coveted Heisman Trophy, undoubtedly is the top pass-catcher in college football, having recorded 67 receptions for 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. He also is the first wide receiver at Ohio State to compile back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons.

If Harrison declares for the draft, the Patriots could ultimately decide that stockpiling weapons could aid whoever they put at quarterback next season and Harrison would give New England an ultra-dynamic option on the outside, one that it hasn’t had for years.

But if Harrison decides he wants one last run with the Buckeyes, the Patriots might want to make sure they end up in the top two to secure a quarterback.