4 reasons Steelers shouldn’t be sniffing a RB in the first round of the NFL Draft
By Tommy Jaggi
No perfect running back prospect this year
Perhaps I would be slightly more open to the idea of taking a running back in the first round if there was a prospect without any wholes or question marks. However, the 2021 draft class doesn’t have a ‘perfect prospect’ at the position this year, despite popular belief.
Najee Harris is deemed by most to be the best running back in this year’s draft class, but he doesn’t exactly check every box. While he is a big back (6’1”, 232 pounds) who can handle every-down work as a runner, receiver, and pass protector, Harris still has a few flaws that should make him a second-round pick. For starters, at 23 years old, he is one of the oldest players who could wind up in the first round this year, and typically the most elite skill players break out much earlier. In addition, Harris lacks a second gear, and his 4 percent explosive play rate is concerning. He will never be able to consistently hit 20-plus yard plays in the NFL due to his lack of top-end speed.
Travis Etienne isn’t a perfect prospect either, but for different reasons. While the Clemson star is a year younger with the speed to go the distance, he lacks prototype size at 5’10” and 215 pounds, and there are reports that he played between 199 and 205 pounds during his senior season before bulking up for his Pro Day. On top of this, Etienne isn’t an elite runner between the tackles, and his pass protection could use some work. Harris and Etienne are good prospects, but I have second-round grades on both of them, as neither player checks every single box you would look for in a first-round running back.