Many fans question the Najee Harris pick in the first round, but here’s why he was the best option for the Steelers this year.
The selection of Najee Harris should not be a surprise to anyone. Make no doubt the Steelers needed a running back. They chose not to resign James Connor this offseason, and the only free agent running back they signed was Kalen Ballage, which seemed a strange choice. However, that decision meant only one thing as long as one of the top three options for a running back were available, that’s who the Steelers selected.
So many fans and analysts hoped for a tackle or another linebacker, as they could have debated that they were among the best players available when Pittsburgh was on the clock. Sure there were options to take one. Yet, none of those options made sense for the Steelers at the 24th selection. Here is why the Steelers took Harris as their first selection:
Top running backs were snatched up quickly
If the Steelers did not pull the trigger on a running back on the first selection, they would not have other options. That’s not to say the Steelers couldn’t draft a running back in the 2nd or 3rd round, but any other decent options would be off the board. Had the Steelers not pulled the trigger, the top three would have been off the board by pick number 55.
Jacksonville scooped up Travis Etienne with the 25th selection (just one pick after the Steelers), and Denver took Javonte Williams at the 35th overall pick. The remaining running backs are mainly late draft selections and would not fundamentally change the Steelers rushing game. Perhaps in any other draft, Harris would have been an early round-two selection. 2021 is an unordinary draft class. So while one could argue Harris at number one might be a bad value, they had no other logical option.
Pressure is off Ben Roethlisberger
With the Steelers drafting Harris, the running game get a shot in the arm, to say the least. It would be premature to say Najee Harris is the next Franco Harris or Jerome Bettis, but it is not out of line to expect Harris to rush for somewhere between 900 to 1200 yards in his rookie season -perhaps even chip in another 200 receiving yards and possibly 8-10 total touchdowns. Even with the offensive line woes, we can assume that he will do this at a more efficient rate than their current running backs.
If he even comes close to numbers like that, it will take a lot of pressure off Ben Roethlisberger. It will open up the passing game in that a few play-action plays could leave Chase Claypool or JuJu Smith-Schuster wide open. Opponents will have to respect the run game for the first time since Le’Veon Bell back in 2017.
Face it: the Steelers offense in the playoff game with Cleveland was so one-dimensional, it’s no wonder that the Browns annihilated us. If Pittsburgh had a rushing game back in January, it’s unlikely the Browns could have put up 28 unanswered points in the first quarter. In addition, if Big Ben does not have the pressure to win games single-handedly, it allows him to work his 4th quarter magic, when needed, something he has done better than most other quarterbacks in the NFL.
Matt Canada’s Offense needed a Running Back
With Matt Canada’s promotion to the offensive coordinator, he obviously has some schemes and designs for the running game. James Connor did not fit into that. One thing that stood out in 2020 the Steelers used the wide receivers in the running game.
Why not? Chase Claypool and JuJu Smith-Schuster have the traits and physical makeup that can gain a lot of yardage if they catch the defense napping. Still, without a capable running back, it makes it harder to run rushing plays incorporating the wideouts.
Now with Harris involved, he will always be a threat in the gadget plays involving the wide receivers. Which will make plays like that harder for the defense to diagnose. Thus they have a higher chance of success. Much like Le’Veon, Harris is a bell-cow who will never really need to leave the field. His ability to run, catch, and block will allow Matt Canada’s offense to keep opposing defenses on their heels.
Many said ahead of the draft the Steelers need a center or a tackle or a linebacker. It’s true that those were areas of concern. However, without a star running back, regardless of who you put on the offensive line, how many times would Ben Roethlisberger be forced to pass the ball every game next season? A lesson was learned in the loss to the Browns, and Najee Harris is exactly what the Steelers need.