Raiders, Patriots Among 13 Teams Scouting Marvin Harrison Jr., OSU vs. Michigan

Scouts from nearly half of the NFL's 32 teams are in attendance for Saturday's rivalry game between No. 3 Michigan and No. 2 Ohio State at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

According to ESPN's Tom VanHaaren, 13 NFL teams have representatives at the game, including teams that could be picking at or near the top of the 2024 NFL draft, such as the New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders and Arizona Cardinals:

Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is the top prospect playing in the 2023 edition of The Game, but scouts will likely also have their eyes on Ohio State pass-rusher JT Tuimoloau and wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, as well as Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy, among others.

Depending on if the team that lands the No. 1 overall pick needs a quarterback, Harrison has a chance to be the first wide receiver to go first overall since Keyshawn Johnson in 1996.

The son of Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver and Indianapolis Colts legend Marvin Harrison, Harrison Jr. has been a dominant force this season and is one of the biggest reasons why OSU entered Saturday with a perfect 11-0 record.

With 62 receptions for 1,093 yards and 13 touchdowns, Harrison is a Heisman Trophy candidate, and he draws a ton of attention from opposing defenses whenever he plays.

While a quarterback-needy team could be compelled to take USC's Caleb Williams or North Carolina's Drake Maye with the top pick, Harrison is very much in the conversation.

If a team like the Cardinals decides to keep Kyler Murray or the Chicago Bears choose to stick with Justin Fields, they could take Harrison first overall and give their incumbent signal-callers every chance to succeed.

However, if a quarterback goes first overall, it will give numerous other teams a shot to either stand pat and take Harrison in the top five, or trade a king's ransom in order to get into the top five.

The Patriots are one of the most intriguing teams in attendance for Ohio State vs. Michigan since they have a need at both quarterback and wide receiver.

At 2-8, they have the third-worst record in the league, and all signs point toward them picking inside the top five.

If the chance to take Williams or Maye is not available to them, selecting Harrison and pairing him with a veteran quarterback like Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield or Joshua Dobbs could be the best short-term option for the organization.