49ers fill their biggest need in this 1st-round mock NFL Draft
32. 4. Wide Receiver. Marvin Harrison Jr. . . Marvin Harrison Jr. . player. . Ohio State. 4
The Arizona Cardinals don't need a quarterback, but what they do need is a weapon for their quarterback.
Marvin Harrison Jr. is one of the more exciting prospects to come into the draft in recent years.
Everything about Harrison screams excitement. He's a mismatch for most cornerbacks in the league coming in at 6-foot-3 and 209 pounds while running past most matchups. He obviously has an elite NFL pedigree with his father, Marvin Harrison, being enshrined in Canton, and the son looks set to continue the legacy.
In 2023, Harrison. Jr had 67 receptions for 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns. It's not just a benefit of playing at a big school either that's getting him the attention, as he run routes like a much smaller receiver would such is the intensity of his cuts and route running.
Harrison is an incredible player who's well worthy of the hype. It would be a shock if he wasn't the first non-quarterback off the board come draft night.
J.J. McCarthy. . J.J. McCarthy. Michigan. player. 60. 5. Quarterback. 5.
5
The Minnesota Vikings have been loading up picks for a reason, and that's to find a quarterback now that Kirk Cousins has departed for Atlanta.
J.J. McCarthy is a bit polarizing for some people. As a quarterback prospect, he isn't as touted as Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye, but he's got some momentum to his draft stock. That and the nature of the quarterback position should see him drafted high in Round 1.
McCarthy is a good quarterback with room to grow in the NFL. He's a better athlete than some people give him credit for. He's also an excellent decision maker, which is a key attribute for rookie quarterbacks if they want to play early.
McCarthy is a bit slender at 6-foot-2 and 219 pounds, and he isn't the best deep-ball passer in the draft. These physical drawbacks is what has him behind the other QBs in the draft, though it didn't stop him throwing for 2,991 yards, 22 touchdowns and four interceptions for Michigan last season.
6. . . LSU. Malik Nabers. 6. Malik Nabers. Wide Receiver. player. 31
The New York Giants would be thrilled if the dynamic Malik Nabers made his way to the Big Apple. Scouts love Nabers, and some have him on par with Harrison as the No. 1 wide receiver in this class.
Nabers had 89 recptions for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2023 playing for LSU. He's a much more dynamic deep threat than Harrison and is an excellent route runner who's been developed well at LSU.
Nabers doesn't possess elite size at 6-foot-0 and 200 pounds, but he's big enough to not get bullied, which allows him versatility in a variety of offensive schemes. Nabers possesses big-play ability whenever he's on the field, and will be a valuable weapon as the Giants try to perform better in 2024.
The only downside to Nabers game is he sometimes gets stopped by press coverage, but that shouldn't be enough to atop him being a true No. 1 receiver in the NFL.