Some final major media mock drafts are rolling in on Thursday morning. I have two to pass along to all of you from Todd McShay of ESPN and Charley Casserly of the NFL Network. Not surprisingly, both McShay and Casserly have the Pittsburgh Steelers selecting Alabama running back Najee Harris at 24th overall in the first round.
Here is what McShay wrote as his reason for mocking Harris to the Steelers.
In another spot where offensive line is a consideration, the Steelers replace running back James Conner with Harris, a powerful back who is slippery between the tackles. Pittsburgh averaged the fewest yards per carry in the NFL last season (3.6).
Here is what Casserly wrote as his reason for mocking Harris to the Steelers.
A big priority for Pittsburgh is improving its poor run game, and it accomplishes that goal by selecting the best running back in this class.
There’s really not too much to add at this point when it comes to these McShay’s and Casserly’s selections for the Steelers. Harris has been the odds-on favorite to be the Steelers’ first round selection this year for quite a while now. The Steelers probably couldn’t have put more fingerprints on the Alabama running back than they did during the pre-draft process.
If Harris is indeed the Steelers pick Thursday night, he will become the oldest offensive player ever drafted by general manager Kevin Colbert. Harris also figures to become the fifth-oldest running back drafted in the first round of a draft since 2000 on Thursday night.
According to DraftKings odds, the running back position is the odds-on favorite for the Steelers to select in the first round at -125. Next on the odds’ list is offensive lineman at +250. Harris is also the odds-on favorite to be the first running back taken in the 2021 NFL Draft, at -240. The over/under on Harris’ draft position is 24.5.
