4 takeaways from Steelers taking Najee Harris in the NFL Draft

Steelers could regret passing on offensive line

I’ve been saying for months now that Virginia Tech offensive tackle, Christian Darrisaw, would have been a dream scenario for the Steelers with the 24th overall pick this year. However, he was off the board one pick before Pittsburgh after the Minnesota Vikings traded back with the Jets. Whether it would have made a difference or not, I don’t know.

Still, there were plenty of quality options along the offensive line that Kevin Colbert and his staff could have chosen from, assuming the interest was on their part. Teven Jenkins is a player that many Steelers fans have been lobbying for since January. At nearly 6’6” and 317 pounds, Jenkins tested as a remarkable athlete and he certainly isn’t lacking power or grittiness on tape. Like Harris, he could have helped improve this run game while offering more in pass protection than their current offensive tackles can.

In addition, interior offensive linemen Landon Dickerson and Creed Humphrey both remain ripe for the picking after day one of the NFL Draft, and either player could have been the next in a line of great centers for this football team. Many great general managers believe that the key to building a successful roster starts in the trenches, but Colbert is putting this theory to the test by passing on some quality talent in the first round for a position that, analytically, just isn’t very important.