ARIZONA -- All eyes in the desert are fixated on Arizona Cardinals star sophomore receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. as 2025 approaches.
Harrison - the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft - notched a season where he tallied 62 receptions for 885 yards and eight touchdowns.
Not bad by any means, at all, though a player of Harrison's caliber was expected to help transform the Cardinals' offense overnight - something that didn't exactly happen.
Now, entering this season with a full year's worth of experience and offseason to digest being an NFL player, expectations continue to crawl forward for the Ohio State product.
NFL.com's Jeffri Chadiha listed Harrison as one of eight young players in the league who can propel their team in 2025:
"Harrison produced a solid rookie season with the Cardinals, finishing with 62 receptions for 885 yards and eight touchdowns. Unfortunately for him, he suffered from the same issues that haunted Caleb Williams: The expectations were much higher for him when he entered the league," wrote Chadiha.
"Some people talked about Harrison as if the Cardinals had just found their next Larry Fitzgerald when he became the fourth overall pick in last year’s draft, a foundational receiver who would dominate for years to come. Harrison still has ample time to deliver on his potential, and a breakout season this fall would make the Cardinals turn the corner on becoming playoff contenders.
"This team was sitting at 6-4 in early November, with a four-game win streak inspiring optimism about the Cardinals playing meaningful football in January. They ultimately lost five of their last seven games, and Harrison failed to reach 65 receiving yards in six of those contests. That can’t happen in his second season.
"Harrison displayed flashes of what he could become at multiple times last year (including a 130-yard effort in a 41-10 win over the Rams and a 111-yard day in a comeback victory at Miami). He just needs to do more of that, which isn’t a ridiculous goal, now that he’s had a full offseason to work with quarterback Kyler Murray.
"It’s rare for gifted wide receivers from Ohio State to fail, as we’ve seen talents like Garrett Wilson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Chis Olave produce 1,000-yard seasons within their first two years in the league. Harrison was considered better than all those guys when he arrived. The Cardinals need him to prove as much this fall."
Steps forward have already been taken, as Harrison arrived to offseason workouts looking noticably bigger with plenty of added muscle.
The Cardinals made no virtual changes to their offense, leaving the door open for returning weapons to make strides and potentially lead Arizona to a postseason appearance.
"I'm very confident in what we have offensively," Harrison told reporters. "From top to bottom, the quarterback, offensive line, skill positions, I think we have everything we need to accomplish our goals."
Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing believes the continuity will benefit the Harrison-Murray connection:
"There's certain things now that you get to pay attention to that allow you to be more effective," Petzing said (h/t AZCardinals.com).
"I think it allows the guys to play a little bit faster and have a bit more success."