5 players Steelers should watch in the CFB Championship game

Najee Harris

Steelers Nation has erupted recently at the thought of drafting Alabama running back Najee Harris this year. While he certainly has played well and fits the power back style that the team covets, his early-round billing makes him less desirable to me. That said, his talent is certainly there. He touched the ball 265 times this year and compiled over 1733 yards and 27 scores. Those numbers got him to fifth on the Heisman list.

Those numbers have also put him into the first round of the draft conversation. That would be quite a heavy investment in a position that has seen a lot of devaluation in the NFL recently. Even more to the point, Harris has touched the ball nearly 700 times at the collegiate level. That kind of a heavy workload could lead to him wearing down early in his NFL career. Those risks make taking him the first a no, but that is my opinion alone.

As a prospect though, he checks a lot of boxes for the team. He needs one more strong performance to cement him as a first-round pick though. Against a stout Ohio State defense, a strong game from Harris should do enough to prove that he is legit. He can do it all and would go a long way in reviving the Steelers’ run game. While his NFL career may not be the longest, he should be a solid runner at the pro level.