Arizona Cardinals rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. has struggled to live up to lofty expectations thus far.
Through his first seven games, No. 4 overall pick Harrison only has 20 receptions for 300 yards and four touchdown catches despite ranking second on the team in targets (43) behind tight end Trey McBride (45 in six games).
On Thursday, Harrison admitted he thought his career would get off to a better start.
"Definitely not what I envisioned, but I'm glad we're 3-4," Harrison said Thursday, according to Tyler Drake of KTAR-FM in Phoenix. "I think we're not in a terrible spot at the moment. I think we still have a chance to win the division, so I just keep going, keep getting better each week, and that's all I can do."
Harrison earned two first-team All-American nods in three seasons at Ohio State and won the 2023 Biletnikoff Award as the best receiver in college football. Why has his college success not translated to the NFL?
Erratic quarterback play doesn't seem like the answer. Through his first seven starts, Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray ranks fifth in the league in QBR (68.7) and is tied for 11th in touchdown passes (nine).
On Wednesday, Murray acknowledged Arizona is still trying to figure out how to maximize Harrison and that it may take more time.
"At the same time, I don't even think we've scratched the surface of what we can be," the quarterback said, per Drake. "I know it's frustrating for fans, and it's frustrating for us, too, because I want him to have 10 catches a game, 100 yards a game. We all want that, but again, it takes time, it takes work, and that's where we're all striving to be. We're striving to be great, and I believe we will get there."
Other rookie WRs, meanwhile, are flourishing. Malik Nabers of the New York Giants is tied for the league's seventh-most receptions (39 in five games) while Brian Thomas Jr. of the Jacksonville Jaguars has the sixth-most receiving yards (513 in seven games).
On Tuesday, Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon told the media told the media he's not hitting the "panic alarm" on Harrison, but he should be a little concerned.
Arizona clearly needs more from the rookie to improve its 25th-ranked passing attack (181 YPG).
