Getty Former Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.
The Chicago Bears are not taking their foot off the gas in terms of scouting the top wide receivers in the 2024 NFL draft class, bringing in Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. and two other potential first-rounders for visits this week.
According to The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain, the Bears hosted Harrison and Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy for official Top 30 visits at Halas Hall on Monday, April 8. The visiting group also included UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu, another first-round talent.
Harrison is one of the top overall prospects in the 2024 class and could be the first non-quarterback off the board on the first night of the draft on April 25. While the Bears would likely have to trade up from No. 9 overall to have a chance at drafting him, it makes sense they would prepare for the unexpected and evaluate him more closely.
Meanwhile, Worthy is the fastest wide receiver — and player — in this year’s draft, breaking the all-time NFL Combine record in March with a 4.21-second clocking in the 40-yard dash. Worthy is unlikely to be a top-10 pick, but his lightning-fast speed could vault him into the back half of the first round, making him a potential trade-back target.
The Bears are also scheduled to spend time with LSU’s Malik Nabers on Wednesday, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Nabers is the last of the top three receivers to visit with the Bears after Washington’s Rome Odunze visited the team last week.
Would the Bears Trade up for Marvin Harrison Jr?
The Bears might be able to land one of the top three pass-catchers — Harrison, Nabers or Odunze — simply by staying patient and holding onto the ninth overall pick. With all the buzz about four quarterbacks going in the first eight picks, there is a realistic chance that one of them will still be on the board when the Bears make their second selection.
If the Bears believe Harrison is a cut above the rest, though, could they consider making a move up from No. 9 overall in the order?
Harrison caught 144 passes for 2,474 yards and scored 29 total touchdowns over the past two seasons with the Buckeyes, putting him in the upper echelon of college pass-catchers. At 6-foot-3 and 203 pounds, he can play the physical, contested catcher for an offense, but his speed and rhythm also allow him to create separation in the deep field. He also possesses elite athleticism and flexibility that broaden his skill set into a more devastating package, not unlike his father during his storied career in Indianapolis.
Still, it is fair to ask how much better Harrison is than Nabers and Odunze. Most draft analysts have ranked Harrison highest on their draft boards, including NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, but the other two are each projected to be instant-impact players at the NFL level. Odunze might have the best hands in the draft with comparable size to Harrison, while Nabers is faster and has more explosive after-catch ability.
The trade-up cost is the other part of the issue for the Bears. They have an additional 2025 second-rounder to consider packaging with the No. 9 pick to move up a few spots, but teams could be looking for an additional first — likely a non-starter for the Bears.
Bears Trading Back Could Make Xavier Worthy an Option
GettyFormer Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy.
The Bears seem unlikely to spend the draft capital it would cost to move up from No. 9, especially with just four total selections in the 2024 draft. That said, if all three of the top receivers come off the board before No. 9, the Bears could take things in the other direction and move further down into the round to add a premium pick or two.
In that case, Worthy could become a legitimate first-round target for the Bears.
Worthy’s NFL projection is intriguing. On one hand, he has enticing speed and agility that allowed him to burn his competition in college and showed he can track the ball well enough to be a reliable deep-threat option when he wins with quickness. His smaller frame (5-foot-11, 165 pounds) could create problems for him at the highest level, though, when trying to win against more physical deep-field defenders.
Interestingly enough, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein picked former Bears starter Darnell Mooney as his player comparison for Worthy. The Bears would have more questions with Worthy than any of Harrison, Nabers and Odunze, but perhaps they feel someone of his skill set can be useful in an offense that will feature DJ Moore and Keenan Allen.