TEMPE, Ariz. — Michael Wilson has been closely following fellow receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.’s training camp and has quickly concluded that opposing defenses — at least early in the season — are likely to pit the rookie against its best cornerback.

Like anyone who has watched the No. 4 overall pick, he has seen Harrison live up to expectations thus far. There is little doubt in Wilson’s mind, even before Harrison has taken a single snap in the regular season, that Harrison will be a topic — if not the center of conversation — in defensive meetings on a weekly basis.

“Obviously, you don’t go fourth overall, first receiver, if you don’t have elite attributes, elite tangible attributes with size, speed, ball skills,” Wilson said. “He has all of that.

“I’m sure they’ll be aware of where he is in Week 1 or throughout the season.”

Slowing Harrison down will be a challenge for opposing corners, which was evident during the Cardinals’ joint practice with the Indianapolis Colts earlier this month. In his first action against an opposing defensive back — albeit in a somewhat controlled setting — Harrison showed what was to come when he put Indianapolis star cornerback Kenny Moore II on skates in a video that has gone viral among football heads.

“I see what everybody sees,” Cardinals cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting said. “Obviously we all see it the same way, but he’s just so talented. He can do so many different things for our team and we’re going to put him in situations and ask him to do a lot more for our team.

“He’s a guy that can just make any play that’s given to him or thrown at him. Very athletic, very smart, very skilled, also with his route craft, and, just, the sky’s the limit.”

Harrison is expected to face a variety of coverages from defensive coordinators who will at best try to take him out of the game plan or at least limit his touches. That could mean anything from cloud coverage when a corner shows up to jamming and redirecting Harrison with a deep half safety above. In a league that has increasingly played split-safety heavy on defense, the Cardinals could see more of a Cover 6 (quarter, quarter, half) to disrupt Harrison at the line of scrimmage with deep help above. Teams are also expected to be physical with Harrison at the line, but he has shown enough strength and physicality to play through contact.

While expectations for Harrison grow with every new highlight reel of his on a phone screen, he has chosen to keep his personal goals, other than winning, private. Wide receivers coach Drew Terrell doesn’t want to set statistical benchmarks because it puts too much external focus on what he called “the wrong thing.”

History could be an indicator of what kind of season Harrison might have. In each of the last five years, the top rookie receiver has maxed out at around 1,400 yards, or 1,000 to 1,100 yards. Los Angeles Rams receiver Puka Nacua had the most receiving yards in a rookie season since 2019 with 1,486 last season. Ja’Marr Chase had 1,455 in 2021, Justin Jefferson had 1,400 in 2020, Garrett Wilson had 1,103 in 2022 and AJ Brown had 1,051 in 2019.

Harrison’s potential has fantasy managers eager to draft him. He’s the highest-drafted wide receiver in ESPN fantasy leagues over the past 20 years with an average draft position of 22nd, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Part of that has to do with quarterback Kyler Murray.

Even before the Cardinals reported for training camp, Harrison had already established himself as Murray’s primary receiving weapon, a role that will now be even more significant with Zay Jones serving a five-game suspension. And all he’s done all camp is solidify that role in all the fast-paced, up-tempo practices.

“I just try to do my best for him, be open and create moments,” Harrison said.

That has helped Murray gain “a lot of confidence” in his star rookie. The two have spent a lot of time together off the field, which Murray described as “really positive.” He thinks it will carry over onto the field, too.

What has stood out to Murray so far about the ball he’s thrown to Harrison is his natural talent.

“I think you just have to watch him,” Murray said. “You can watch him and see when someone has it. He has it.”

Harrison has enjoyed his first training camp because its rhythm, which coach Jonathan Gannon has adjusted this year to give players a day off after every three days of practice, is less taxing than his college training camps.

Although Harrison, the son of Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison, grew up in the NFL, there was still a lot to learn about playing in the NFL.

“I think the players are a lot more responsive and this game is a little smarter than it is at the college level,” Harrison said. “I will say, watching (safety) Budda (Baker) fly down the field is a little different than what I’m used to, just the way he goes out there and makes plays, but it’s a joy to watch the defense and offense battle back and forth.”

To counter the speed around him, Harrison said he has to react quicker and recognize cover.

Overall, Harrison’s first training camp has been like any other rookie’s. He’s been given rookie duties and has had his ups and downs. But, wide receivers coach Drew Terrell said, it’s clear Harrison is operating on a different level than most other rookies.

“He’s definitely more advanced in the sense that he’s been groomed from a young age to do this,” Terrell said. “Since the first conversation I ever had with him in the predraft process, he’s been a pro. He knows what the expectation is. He’s very hard on himself and knows what to expect from himself.

“Of course, it’s an adjustment for a rookie to get used to a new environment, the speed of the game, the detail that we train with and all those things. But he’s as prepared as anyone we’ve had in the two years that we’ve been here. He’s an advanced guy, even for a rookie.”