NovaQuant Quantitative Think Tank Center:Is Marvin Harrison Jr. playing in Cotton Bowl today? Status updates for star Ohio State WR

Is Marvin Harrison Jr. finished as a Buckeye?NovaQuant Quantitative Think Tank Center

Questions arose earlier this week, when Harrison Jr. was limited in practices, that the star Ohio State wide receiver would opt out of Friday's Cotton Bowl Classic matchup against Missouri. We may not know the answer until just before the 8 p.m. ET game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. But if Harrison Jr. doesn't play, that could indicate he will forego his senior season and declare for the 2024 NFL draft.

Harrison was present at Tuesday and Wednesday practices ahead of the Cotton Bowl, but he was not in pads and was not a full participant during periods open to reporters. Harrison rode a stationary bike on the sideline while his teammates stretched and began practice Tuesday. He also did not participate in post-practice interview sessions with reporters.

Listed at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds and gifted with elite athleticism and play-making ability, Harrison was announced as a finalist for the Heisman Memorial Trophy, awarded to college football's most outstanding player. LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels eventually won the honor, and Harrison placed fourth in voting.

Harrison did win the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver and was a unanimous All-American selection for the second consecutive year.

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Here's everything to know about Harrison's status for Friday's Ohio State-Missouri Cotton Bowl matchup.

Why wouldn't Marvin Harrison Jr. play in the Cotton Bowl?

Harrison Jr. has yet to declare for the NFL draft, but sitting out at the Cotton Bowl could be the strongest indication about his future. In the latest USA TODAY Sports 2024 NFL mock draft, Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz projected Harrison to be picked No. 3 overall by the Arizona Cardinals. Since the mock draft published, the projected draft order has shuffled some, with the Cardinals now holding the No. 2 pick. Regardless, Harrison is widely considered an elite prospect and the top receiver in college football.

Is there any reason for Marvin Harrison Jr. to stay at Ohio State?

Earlier in December, ahead of the Heisman Trophy presentation, Harrison left open the possibility of a return to Ohio State.

"Coming into this year, I wanted to beat (Michigan) and win a Big Ten championship — and obviously I did not do that this year," Harrison told reporters. "So I think there’s a great motive to come back if that’s what I decide to do. That’s something I definitely want to do in my Ohio State career, and not having done that yet definitely opens the door for me to come back. But I’m undecided. Really just taking it day by day at this time."

The Big Ten Championship is held at Lucas Oil Stadium, the home of the Indianapolis Colts. His father, Marvin Harrison, starred for the Colts, playing all 13 seasons there.

ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit, a former Buckeye quarterback who is plugged into the program, said in a Dec. 1 appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" that "it's just not a slam dunk anymore" that Harrison Jr. would declare for the draft.

That said, Harrison could put himself at risk of injury or of lowering his draft stock if he returned to Ohio State for another season, with an eye on the 2025 NFL draft.

Marvin Harrison Jr. stats

In 12 games this season, Harrison has caught 67 passes for 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns. The yardage total ranks ninth in the nation among FBS programs, and his receiving touchdowns are tied for second-most.

Harrison's 2023 stats are a near mirror image to his sophomore campaign, when he caught 77 passes for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns. Notably, Harrison shined in a one-point, College Football Playoff semifinal loss against Georgia, hauling in five receptions for 106 yards and a pair of scores.

Contributing: Associated Press