NFC Notes: Marvin Harrison Jr, Jordan Whittington, Cardinals, Packers, Rams

Cardinals

Despite rumors of trading down with a quarterback-needy team, the Cardinals stood pat and took first-round WR Marvin Harrison Jr. in the draft. Arizona GM Monti Ossenfort spoke on how confident they were in Harrison despite his unique pre-draft process.

“Yeah, I’d say with Marvin, a unique case. He made the decisions that he made to approach the draft process like he did,” Ossenfort said, via SiriusXM NFL Radio. “But you’re right, we did get a good look at him working out — we had that tape from last year when he ran routes at C.J. Stroud’s Pro Day, so we did check that box.”

“But we felt very strongly about our evaluation of Marvin off the tape, off of last year’s Pro Day. And then what really sealed it for us was when Marvin came in for a [top] 30 visit and we got to spend an entire day with him and just really find out who the person was, what made him tick, and just the way he approached his job. So, you know, we had plenty to evaluate Marvin on and certainly more than enough to pull his card off the board at No. 4.”

Packers

The Packers took 2024 second-round LB Edgerrin Cooper to solidify the middle of their defense with LB Quay Walker. Green Bay Assistant Director of College Scouting Pat Moore talked about their similarities coming out of college.

“Probably their intensity and maybe their frame,” Moore said, via Paul Bretl of the Packers Wire. “Edgerrin’s probably not as thick right now as Quay was coming out but same type of speed and intensity. Obviously, you’re seeing them play the same type guys, same competition. Little bit different game but same type of physical traits and aggression, play style.”

Rams

Rams sixth-round WR Jordan Whittington calls himself a “student of the game” and is eager to learn from veteran WR Cooper Kupp. 

“I’m a student of the game, and Cooper Kupp I feel like is a professor,” Whittington said, via Stu Jackson of the team’s site. “So I want to get to that level.”

Whittington feels he fits well into Sean McVay‘s system and pointed out how they use Puka Nacua as a blocker. 

“I see the way that they use Puka (Nacua) with all the different ways, the blocking,” Whittington said. “You want someone that can get gritty, and I think I’m really good at that. It’s mutually beneficial.”

Whittington recalled being in a crowded receivers group at Texas and feels being in a deep position group, like in Los Angeles, only improves players. 

“I think that just pulled everybody up,” Whittington said. “Just doing that at the next level, it’s more important what you do off the field, what you do in practice, outside of the game, in the film room. I’m looking forward to just taking advantage of all the extra time I have, getting up on people and competing.”