5 running backs who could replace James Conner for the Steelers in 2021

Chuba Hubbard

If Etienne is not available in the draft, this next kid should be. This player invokes images of Bam Morris, Barry Foster, and Jerome Bettis. Plus, he has a name you can’t forget. In case you have not guessed it’s Chuba Hubbard, the running back from Oklahoma State. Like the Steelers Chase Claypool, he is Canadian as well. He could be the perfect counterpart to Mapleton.

Hubbard is 6’1” 208 pounds. His projected 40 time is 4.52. Some have said his size is deceitful as he runs much stronger than his 208 pounds indicates. Right now, depending on which report you look at, he’s either ranked as the third or sixth-best running back behind Travis Etienne, but some think he could move up in rankings by draft day. Still, he’s projected as either a late first-round or second-round choice in 2021.

In his career at Oklahoma State, he has rushed for 3459 yards. I would have been more, but Hubbard has gotten a little banged up this season. He only played in seven of the to games this season. Though some have questioned his decision not to opt for the NFL last year and think he has not been as solid in part due to injury.

So if you go by his 2019 season, he averaged 6.4 yards per carry with 2094 yards. In his college career, he’s not a bad receiver either he averaged 9.0 yards a reception. If he can come close to that in the NFL, he will make things happen. He has also rushed for 33 touchdowns while he only has three from receiving. He runs hard, has good balance, good instincts, and vision. He’s more the Barry Foster or Jerome Bettis type of back, not a Le’Veon Bell speedster.

While he could be a productive rusher in the NFL, he has areas he needs to improve. While he has power, it’s not as much as some would like.  He’s more of a straight line running back, not likely to make cuts to break runs like the speedier backs. His worst critique is that he has looked horrible in his pass blocking, something all backs need to excel at in the NFL. However, good coaching could fix that problem if that his worst problem.

So while there are a few other running backs in the 2021 draft, somehow, despite the areas he needs improvement, a name like Chuba Howard seems tailor-made for the Pittsburgh Steelers.