There is no doubt that Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. was the best wide receiver in college football this season but the debate is heating up as to whether Harrison or LSU's Malik Nabers will be the first wideout taken in the upcoming NFL Draft according to Brian Giuffra of SI.com.
Nabers seems to have stolen the show this offseason. Much of his recent momentum can be attributed to his excellent showing at LSU's pro day this week, where he proved he's the perfect physical specimen to dominate at the NFL level. He measured 6-feet and 199 pounds, ran a 4.35 40-yard dash, had a 42-inch vertical, and registered a 10-foot-9 broad jump. For comparison, he was the same size as All-Pro wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase was at his own LSU pro day and outperformed the eventual top-10 pick in all the other drills.
Meanwhile, Harrison Jr. has opted to skip workouts at the NFL Combine and Ohio State's pro day, giving Nabers the opportunity to steal the spotlight. He's done that and more, becoming the hottest wide receiver prospect in the draft and raising the question of who will be better in the NFL. His on-field performance and status as a Heisman Trophy finalist earned him the right to opt out of workouts. But that decision could also impact his draft position.
The first three picks in this year's draft are expected to be quarterbacks. At picks No. 4-6, there are three teams in need of a superstar wideout — the Cardinals, Chargers and Giants. Any one of them could trade back with a team looking to pick another quarterback, but it seems unlikely that either Harrison Jr. or Nabers will fall much further than No. 6.
Ultimately the choice will come down to how each player fits a potential team's scheme and offensive philosophy. Harrison Jr. is larger physically, making him a better threat to score in the redzone, and a more polished route runner. Nabers is faster, more explosive, and can take a three-yard screen and break it for a 50-yard touchdown.
Harrison is probably still the best bet to be the first wideout of the board but no one expected there to even be a debate three months ago.