Trade No. 4 pick or draft Marvin Harrison Jr.: What should the Cardinals do?

One of the biggest dominoes will fall in Thursday's NFL Draft when the Arizona Cardinals decide what to do with the No. 4 pick. 

The Cardinals, who also own the No. 27 selection, are "open for business" regarding the No. 4 pick, which could net the team a massive haul in a trade. 

However, ESPN's Adam Schefter recently reported Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort won't make a final decision on a trade until he's in position to make his selection Thursday. 

While that strategy might increase the return Arizona could fetch for the pick, standing pat is also a viable option, as the team could select Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr., the top wideout in the draft.

Because the Cardinals could go two vastly different routes, here are the arguments for trading the pick and drafting Harrison, along with our recommendation for what the team should do. 

The case for trading down

What Schefter says: "In last year's draft, no team was more active in the first dozen picks than Arizona, which went from No. 3 to No. 12 to No. 6, all to wind up with offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr., Houston's 2024 first-round pick and more selections. The Cardinals might be able to pull off a similar feat and still come away with added draft compensation." 

Our take: There's no question the price of the No. 4 pick hinges on which quarterback prospect falls out of the top three selections, but Cardinals QB Kyler Murray's $230.5M contract has a significant influence on Ossenfort's draft plans. 

Although having a QB who is already on a massive contract might make a Harrison selection seem like a no-brainer, there'd still be ways Arizona could accommodate Murray if it traded down from the fourth pick. 

The buzz around the NFL is that the New York Giants, owners of the No. 6 pick, and Minnesota, which holds the Nos. 11 and 23 selections, are trying the hardest to move up for a quarterback. 

By trading with New York, Arizona would receive the No. 6 selection, which it could spend on LSU WR Malik Nabers — who some consider a better prospect than Harrison — along with a second-round pick, if not more. Conversely, Minnesota's package would include both of its first-rounders at the very least, providing the Cardinals with plenty of flexibility in the mid-to-late stages of the first round.

For a team with several holes, either trade package would be beneficial. Trading with Minnesota would allow the Cardinals to select a second-tier wideout prospect and a pass-rusher or offensive lineman, or potentially swing a deal similar to last year and move back up to select someone like Washington WR Rome Odunze. 

Even so, the Giants might have the more worthwhile trade package for Arizona, who still would have a realistic shot at landing another blue-chip receiver in Nabers. 

The case for drafting Harrison Jr.

What ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. says: "The younger Harrison is on track to get my highest pre-draft grade for a wideout since Calvin Johnson (2007) and Larry Fitzgerald (2004). Harrison has everything, from outstanding size and stellar hands to incredible body control and blazing speed. His dad ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash before the 1996 draft but was just under six feet when the Colts took him Round 1. Harrison Jr. is four inches taller and could have similar speed." 

Our take: Harrison, son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison Sr., received criticism for not working out at the NFL Scouting Combine and Ohio State's Pro Day. His decision further fueled the hype around Nabers being the top wideout prospect in the draft, but it's not easy to name a better collegiate receiver over the past two seasons than Harrison. 

The 6-foot-4, 205-pounder broke out during the 2022 season while serving as current Texans QB C.J. Stroud's go-to weapon, finishing sixth in the nation in receiving yards (1,263) and fourth in touchdowns (14). Despite playing with an inferior quarterback last season, Harrison was still dominant, catching 67 passes for 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns. 

With his large frame, explosiveness and polished route-running capabilities, Harrison is "the most pro-ready prospect in the class," regardless of position, according to ESPN's Field Yates. 

Harrison probably won't top Rams WR Puka Nacua's historic rookie year (first-year record 105 catches, 1,486 yards receiving in 2023), though he could make an impact similar to what Justin Jefferson (1,400 yards receiving as a rookie), Ja'Marr Chase (1,455) and Odell Beckham Jr. (1,305) accomplished in their debut seasons. 

Verdict: Go with Marvin Harrison Jr.

Although the team that sells its draft picks in a trade is typically considered the "winner" of the deal in retrospect, Arizona shouldn't pass up the opportunity to select a potentially generational prospect. 

The Cardinals desperately need a No. 1 wide receiver to fill the void DeAndre Hopkins left after his release last offseason. Murray thrived throwing to the big-bodied Hopkins and could produce even greater results with the larger Harrison as his top target. 

If the Cardinals weren't already fully committed to Murray's timeline or didn't have six selections in the first 90 picks of the draft, this might have been a different story. Continuing to cater to Murray by pairing Harrison with him gives Arizona (4-13 last season) its best chance to return to the postseason as quickly as possible.