Big expectations follow Arizona Cardinals rookie receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., the fourth overall pick in the 2024 draft. He isn’t worried about the expectations.
“I just feel like I’m supposed to be here. This is what I’m supposed to do,” Harrison said on SiriusXM Radio, via the Cardinals’ social media channels. “I’m living out my dream so I never try to put too much pressure on myself.
“Obviously I’m super hard on myself. On the field, I just want to be the best that I can be, but I just feel like I’m supposed to be here, that’s my mindset the whole time.”
Of course, as the top pick of the Cardinals, a franchise that enjoyed a 17-year career from Larry Fitzgerald, who will soon be in the Hall of Fame, some hope that Harrison can be like him.
It’s nothing new to Harrison.
“You’ve got to think that I’ve been compared to a Hall of Famer my whole life,” he said, making reference to his father, Marvin Harrison, who is a Hall of Fame receiver. “Going into this situation isn’t much different at this point. I’m just going to embrace it. There’s never going to be another Larry. Larry was great. I’m just trying to be the next me.”
There isn’t a better way for Harrison to approach this. As a young, promising receiver, he can’t be chasing the shadow of Fitzgerald. He shouldn’t chase the shadow of his own father. He needs to focus on being great as himself.
That might just happen to be the same level as those two all-time greats.
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