Two of the biggest stars to come through the Ohio State Buckeyes football program in recent years are getting the band back together.
Former Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is reuniting with quarterback CJ Stroud after the Houston Texans acquired Harrison in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, October 11.
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans confirmed the deal following Houston’s 26-3 victory over the Tennessee Titans. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Houston is sending a 2027 second-round pick and sixth-round pick to Arizona in exchange for Harrison and a seventh-round selection.
The move offers Harrison a fresh start after a disappointing stint with the Cardinals. More importantly for Ohio State fans, it reunites a quarterback-receiver tandem that once terrorized Big Ten defenses.
Marvin Harrison Jr. and CJ Stroud Were Dominant Together at Ohio State
Stroud and Harrison spent two seasons together in Columbus, but their partnership truly blossomed during the 2022 campaign.
With Stroud running Ryan Day’s offense, Harrison emerged as one of the country’s most dangerous wide receivers, finishing the season with 77 receptions for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Stroud was equally impressive, completing 258 of 389 passes for 3,688 yards and 41 touchdowns against just six interceptions.
The Buckeyes finished 11-2 and came within a point of defeating eventual national champion Georgia in the College Football Playoff semifinals.
Harrison earned unanimous first-team All-American honors that season, becoming Ohio State’s first wide receiver to accomplish the feat. Stroud was a Heisman Trophy finalist before becoming the No. 2 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Harrison remained at Ohio State for another season, eventually winning the 2023 Biletnikoff Award before Arizona selected him fourth overall in 2024.
Now, nearly four years after their final game together, Stroud will once again have Harrison lining up as one of his receiving targets.
Marvin Harrison Jr. Gets Fresh Start After Struggles With Cardinals
Harrison entered the NFL with enormous expectations, but his first two seasons in Arizona didn’t quite match his college reputation.
He recorded 62 receptions for 885 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie in 2024. His production declined to 41 catches for 608 yards and four touchdowns in 2025.
Things deteriorated further through the first four games of 2026. Harrison managed just five catches for 85 yards and one touchdown, with Arizona struggling to consistently involve its former top-five draft pick.
That made Sunday’s trade a significant opportunity for Harrison to reset his NFL career.
In Houston, he joins a receiving corps led by Nico Collins and a quarterback who already knows what he can accomplish when given opportunities downfield.
Familiarity doesn’t guarantee that Harrison will immediately return to his Ohio State form, particularly after a difficult stretch in Arizona. But Stroud understands his former teammate’s skill set better than most NFL quarterbacks.
The Texans also have reason to move quickly. Houston entered Sunday’s matchup winless before improving to 1-4, and adding another receiving threat could help spark an offense looking for consistency.
For Ohio State fans, the trade brings a particularly intriguing question: Can the same combination that produced 14 receiving touchdowns during the 2022 season find that chemistry again at the professional level?
Houston is betting that it’s worth finding out.
Ex-Ohio State Stars Marvin Harrison Jr. and CJ Stroud Reunite After NFL Trade