The Pittsburgh Steelers could lose RB Najee Harris to free agency — he’s set to hit the market next month — and that would leave the team with a need at running back. NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah has the Steelers replacing Harris with another first-round running back, as Jeremiah has the Steelers taking Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty at No. 21 overall.
“The Steelers spent the past two drafts beefing up their offensive line,” he said Tuesday via Zoom conference call with reporters. “Now they land a top-five player in the class to run behind it.”
Jeanty was one of three running backs Jeremiah had going in the first round. He also had the Los Angeles Chargers taking Omarion Hampton out of North Carolina at No. 22 overall, while Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson went to the Minnesota Vikings at No. 24 overall.
Jeremiah is a big fan of Jeanty’s fit in Pittsburgh, as last week he said that the Steelers should “run the card up” if Jeanty falls to the team at No. 21. Jeanty is coming off a historically impressive season, as he ran 374 times for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns. He was the Heisman Trophy runner-up and won the Maxwell Award for player of the year in college football. He was just 27 yards short of Barry Sanders’ single-season FBS rushing record.
In his draft profile for Steelers Depot, Steven Pavelka gave Jeanty a top-10 grade and compared him to Marshawn Lynch.
Jeanty also has the ability to break off chunk runs, as 16.5% of his runs have gone for 10+ yards.
Positional value is always a consideration, and taking a running back in the first round is always risky. But Ashton Jeanty has the potential to enter the NFL and be one of the best backs in the league, although Steelers fans could be understandably wary of taking a first-round running back after Harris was good but not great during his tenure with the Steelers. The expectation with a first-round running back is that they’ll be one of the best backs in the league year in and year out, and while Harris eclipsed 1,000 yards every season he’s worn the Black and Gold, his efficiency hasn’t been great, and no one considers him one of the top backs in the NFL.
But with a run on first-round running backs here, the Steelers get the best running back in a deep running back class. With the Steelers having an uncertain quarterback situation, adding a potentially elite running back could be a path they decide to take, even with other needs to address early. Jeanty’s potential is certainly intriguing in bolstering Pittsburgh’s ground game, but there’s no doubt that taking a first-round running back over a position like defensive line or wide receiver is a risky move.
It’s a risk that could pay major dividends, though, and if Ashton Jeanty is on the board at No. 21, the Steelers might need to seriously consider taking him.
