Ohio State star wide receiver and 2024 NFL Draft prospect Marvin Harrison Jr. has signed an endorsement deal with New Balance.
Harrison Jr., 21, will be involved in New Balance’s first-ever American football cleats, which will be unveiled at the NFL Draft, which begins Thursday in Detroit. The two-time All-American will work with the New Balance team to design and evolve the brand’s football cleats and will be featured in brand campaigns going forward.
“Family is very important to me and joining a family brand like New Balance felt like I was building a relationship that centers on trust and shared values,” Harrison Jr. said in a news release. “Being able to work closely with the design and product creation team so quickly and helping them launch the new cleats is just icing on the cake. I am excited to do the work and build something that will inspire the next generation and help me excel as I enter my professional football career.”
Harrison Jr. is widely considered the top wide receiver prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft class. He’s expected to be among the top 10 picks, perhaps even the top five, in the first round of this year’s draft. The former Buckeyes standout finished the 2023 college football season with 67 receptions for 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns, which earned him the 2023 Biletnikoff Award annually given to the nation’s top wide receiver. He was also named the Big Ten’s Offensive Player of the Year and Wide Receiver of the Year.
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“From the first conversation with Marvin, it was clear that he was a perfect fit for us at New Balance,” said Naveen Lokesh, head of global sports marketing for American football and basketball at New Balance. “His drive, passion and incredible work ethic speak to the person that he is on and off the field. His dedication to everything he does will help us launch New Balance into the American Football category and push the boundaries of what athletes can do to inspire the next generation. We are excited to start this journey together and co-author our legacy in sport culture.”
Harrison Jr., a Philadelphia native, is the son of former NFL and Indianapolis Colts star wide receiver Marvin Harrison, who ranks fifth in NFL history in career receptions (1,102) and ninth in career receiving yards (14,580). Harrison Sr. played 13 seasons in the NFL, all for the Colts, from 1996 to 2008. He was selected to eight Pro Bowls, helped lead the Colts to winning Super Bowl XLI in 2007, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.
The 2024 NFL Draft begins at 8 p.m. Eastern Thursday. The first round will be held Thursday, rounds two and three will be held Friday, and rounds four through seven will be held on Saturday.