5 reasons Najee Harris wasn’t a good value for the Steelers

Steelers could have drafted elsewhere

The age-old “hindsight is 20/20” comes into play here, but looking at how the draft shook out, taking Harris over some of the other talents seems like a mistake. It was almost like the Steelers didn’t have a plan besides Harris, and when he was available at pick 24 there was no question who was getting selected. This was a major overlook in talent.

For starters, a few secondary members would have been a huge add for the team, especially considering how this unit fizzled over the final stretch of games. Greg Newsome went a few picks later and he developed into a good starter with the Browns. Eric Stokes is in a similar boat with the Packers as is Asante Samuel Jr. with the Chargers. Perhaps the biggest secondary miss was Jevon Holland, as the Dolphins used him all over the defense to great success. It would be nice having him as the future starter for Terrell Edmunds.

There were other areas that this team struggled in that would have been boosted by a different selection. Considering the rash of injuries and the uncertainty at this position going forward, Rondale Moore or Elijah Moore could have been options to play in the slot. The entire off-ball linebacker room was horrible this season. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah could have been a help there.

This doesn’t even begin to mention the offensive linemen that were passed over. While the tackles weren’t great, players like Samuel Cosmi and Liam Eichenberg showed promise as rookies. Meanwhile, the Eagles got a huge upgrade along their interior with Landon Dickerson (he was center capable as well). Easily the biggest miss was Humphrey, as the Steelers passed on the best center in the draft and already one of the best in the league for the opportunity to get Harris.

That leaves us with the running back room as a whole in this draft. It isn’t uncommon for teams to find mid-late round starters in this group, and 2021 was no exception. Had the team boosted their offensive line in the first round, Micheal Carter could have been in play in the second. If the team wanted a power back, Rhamondre Stevenson could have been taken in the third round. The biggest miss was Elijah Mitchell, as he lasted all the way into the sixth round before, he was selected.

The fact of the matter is, there was a slew of talent all over the board that would have better helped this team. While Harris is a fine back, shoe-holing yourself into taking him while not addressing the bigger needs on the team was foolish. Their first-round pick could have been better spent while a different running back could have been added later in the draft.