Top wide receiver prospect Marvin Harrison Jr. made an interesting decision during his pre-draft process this week. It could mean the Chicago Bears are serious about trading up from the No. 9 pick to select the Ohio State standout.
The Bears are expected to draft USC quarterback prospect Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick. The Bears have said they intend to use their next pick on a position that affects the quarterback. That could mean the Bears intend to take a pass catcher, offensive lineman, or defensive end.
General manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus have every incentive to gift their new quarterback as much help as possible in the next few seasons. Poles’ job security rests on how well the next quarterback players. Adding a dynamic wide receiver to play with D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen (who is only under contract for the 2024 season) could be the Bears’ best option.
Marvin Harrison Jr. took a visit with the Chicago Bears
The Bears are meeting with the top wide receivers in the draft this month for official 30 visits. On Monday, they met with MHJ. While that wouldn’t be a big deal for most teams in the Bears position, it is with MHJ in particular. Per Albert Breer with Sports Illustrated, MHJ, like Williams, is only meeting with teams he thinks have a chance to draft him:
Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. has visited the Chicago Bears and Arizona Cardinals, and it’s part of an interesting approach that’s really limited information to the teams that will have a legitimate shot at taking him.
As we’ve said before, I would imagine the way he and Caleb Williams have handled the last few months is a sign that the first high school class (2021) to come through college and into the NFL during the NIL era is more business-minded and that we’ll see more of this sort of strategy from the super-elite prospect in the future.
MHJ has a lot of hype in the draft
MHJ is the consensus No. 1 wide receiver in this year’s draft. Draft expert Dane Brugler said via The Athletic that MHJ is the second-best player in the draft behind Williams. It’s extremely unlikely MHJ would fall to the Bears at the No. 9 pick. One would assume the Bears talked to MHJ’s camp about a potential trade they planned to make before he chose to meet on Monday.
It would make sense for the Bears to go all out and gift Williams a star to grow with, especially if scouts believe MHJ is a future All-Pro. The Houston Texans made a similar move last year when they drafted two “blue” players, C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr., to be the pillars of the Texans for years to come.
However, any trade from the No. 9 spot to where MHJ is likely to be taken would be expensive. MHJ is expected to be the first non-quarterback taken off the board. The Bears would probably have to trade up to the No. 4 or No. 5 pick to take MHJ.
The Bears would have to give up a lot of MHJ
Brad Biggs with the Chicago Tribune wrote about what the Bears would likely have to give up to get MHJ. He thinks the Bears would have to give up at least two picks, and their best chance to make a trade happens only if he slips past the No. 5 pick:
I think the minimum the Bears would have to offer would be the ninth pick and one of the two 2025 second-round picks they own, likely the one coming from the Carolina Panthers. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Cardinals or Chargers asked for No. 9 and both second-round picks in 2025.
I got a handful of questions about the Bears trading up for Harrison, and this seems to be the social media topic of the week. It’s a great draft for wide receivers and the Bears might be able to get one they have similarly graded by staying put at No. 9. General manager Ryan Poles is short on picks this year, and moving up four or five spots in your scenario would put him at a deficit in 2025.
Is that worth it for MHJ? I’m not sure. With the No. 9 pick, the Bears will have a chance to select several extremely competent playmakers (Malik Nabers, Brock Bowers, Rome Odunze). MHJ might be worth that price for the No. 9 pick and one second-round pick next year, but not both.
But the fact that MHJ agreed to meet with the Bears at all means at least he thinks a trade of some kind might happen.
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