Joel Klatt calls Caleb Williams, Marvin Harrison Jr. ‘generational players’

FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt broke the mold this week by ranking USC QB Caleb Williams and Ohio State wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. as his No. 1 and No. 2 prospects in his top 50 list for this year’s NFL Draft. Though they won’t go one and two on night one of the draft, the two future first-rounders are what Klatt called “generational” players.

“No. 2 and No. 1 are two of the best players I’ve ever covered at their positions in college football,” Klatt said. “These two guys are, say it with me, generational players. I’ve not covered a better wide receiver in my career than Marvin Harrison Jr. and I have not covered a better college quarterback than Caleb Williams.”

Caleb Williams won the Heisman Trophy in 2022 after throwing for 4,537 yards, 42 touchdowns and just five interceptions. Though he didn’t win it again in 2023, he still had a great season with 3,633 yards, 30 touchdown passes and five interceptions. He also increased his completion percentage from 66.6% to 68.6% and scored 11 rushing touchdowns, up one from 2022.

Marvin Harrison Jr. led the Ohio State Buckeyes offense for two seasons, tallying 155 catches, 2,613 yards and 31 touchdowns over three years. He topped 100 receiving yards in eight games in 2023, and topped 160 yards three times.

Williams, Harrison expected to be first QB, WR taken in 2024 NFL Draft

“Marvin Harrison Jr. is going to be a No. 1 wide receiver right away,” Klatt said. “You can game plan to him as a rookie, because he will get open and he will make the catch, in particular, on third down, which is rare. In the playoffs, when he has to fight through tough contested catches, he will do it. He can be the catalyst to an overall offense and that is very rare.”

The Chicago Bears secured the first overall pick in the upcoming draft thanks to trading out of the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft with the Carolina Panthers. Draft analysts are in near consensus about Chicago taking Williams with pick No. 1. Klatt would be first in line to take Williams who he defended as having been one of the NIL guinea pigs over the last two seasons.

“Caleb Williams is elite in every category that I can evaluate,” the Fox Sports host said. “You can question some of the antics off of the field but I know his coaches, I’ve talked with his teammates. They loved Caleb Williams. No one’s had to navigate the waters that he did being an incumbent Heisman Trophy winner with $12 million in the bank, or whatever it was. This dude is an anomaly in many ways… Here’s what I don’t get concerned with, watch his tape. He’s elite in every category.”