FRISCO, Texas – Texas Tech RB Tahj Brooks has been one of the best running backs in the country, running for over 1,500 yards each of the last two seasons. He’s the Texas Tech record holder with 4,557 total yards while also adding 45 rushing touchdowns, and the Pittsburgh Steelers have taken notice. During an interview with Steelers Depot at the Shrine Bowl, Brooks said that he met with the Steelers and the staff he met with told him they reminded him of former Steelers All-Pro RB Le’Veon Bell.
“I know a lot of guys from the Steelers say I run like Le’Veon Bell,” Brooks said.
He said that the Steelers liked his footwork for his size.
“They just said my feet, I got good feet for how big and my size and things like that.”
Brooks is a bigger back at 5091 and 229 pounds, and while he’s shorter than Bell, he’s built in a similar way that Bell was coming out of Michigan State, with a really powerful lower body.
Brooks also mentioned that he feels his vision and the way he sees the field separates him from other backs, in the same way it did for Bell.
“I feel like I’m very patient. I see things different. I set him secondary cuts and secondary cuts up different. And I feel that’s one good part of my game.”
While Brooks said he hasn’t watched a lot of Bell tape, he studies a lot of the best running backs in football today.
“I watch Josh Jacobs, Tyler Allegier, another one, Marshawn Lynch, another one, and I watched Saquon Barkley and I watch DeAndre Swift.”
Brooks said his playmaking and pass blocking are two aspects he feels he’s improved upon throughout his career.
“Really just being explosive, being a playmaker, and pass pro aspect. I feel like this year I gave up one sack to a linebacker, in the Baylor game out of I wanna say 300 or 200 some pass-blocking attempts from the running back position. And just things in that way, knowing defenses, knowing different fronts I’m gonna get, and running into things like that so I can play faster.”
Off the football field, Brooks is very involved with his community, as he said he’s hosted various football camps and also worked with Habitat for Humanity to help build homes while also volunteering in schools.
Brooks said that any team that drafts him is getting someone who will bring a lot of value to their team.
“I’m a humble guy. I’m somebody that wants to be the truth in this league. And even moving forward, if your organization is blessed to draft me, I bring a lot of value to a team.”
With RB Najee Harris set to hit free agency, the Steelers are likely to add a running back in the draft. Given that the team is already comparing him to Le’Veon Bell, he’s a name to watch throughout the pre-draft process as someone who could wind up in Black and Gold.
