The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Alabama RB Najee Harris with the belief he can be an every down, all-situations player. And Harris isn’t one to disagree. On a Zoom call with media following the team’s selection, Harris says he can do everything the Steelers will ask of him.
“I feel like in today’s game, some people say it’s a passing game,” Harris said in the Zoom meeting provided by the team. “I think I can be utilized in the passing game. I think I can line up out wide. I can line up in the slot. I’m a mismatch for linebackers. I feel like if the DB isn’t sticking me, then it’s a mismatch on the linebacker.”
Despite all the great receivers at Alabama, two more of them drafted in the Top 15 tonight, Harris still caught 80 passes over the past two seasons. They weren’t just checkdowns, either. He made high degree of difficulty receptions, including this back shoulder fade for a touchdown against LSU.
But Harris is a running back, after all. He knows he can be the workhorse the Steelers have been searching for since Le’Veon Bell.
“Running between the tackles I feel like is a big thing. And now in today’s game, I feel like I can match that. I’m 6’2″, 230. They added another game on so now we’re playing more games I feel like you need somebody to carry the load. I feel like I fit in perfectly.”
Pittsburgh has always desired a big back, especially as their bellcow. Jerome Bettis in Colbert’s early days (though he eventually became the clear backup to a much skinnier Fast Willie Parker) to Le’Veon Bell in more recent ones. Harris goes 6’2″, 230 and has proven he can be the lead guy, the star back on Alabama’s offense. He’ll get as much work as he can handle with the Steelers, looking to turn around a dead-last-ranked running game in 2020.
Check out our scouting report on Harris below for a complete breakdown of his game.
