When considering the variety of options they have for their multitude of areas that need addressing, the Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the brightest stars heading into the 2025 NFL Draft. As a result, many names are being thrown around as guys they could and/or should go after—some of which are running backs.
That is certainly a fair approach, as the loss of Najee Harris leaves a lot to be desired on the running game, particularly in regards to a resilient back that has a concrete reputation for pounding his way to decent yardage.
When thinking of talents that capture such an image, the top dog to scoop off the board is painfully obvious, yet there isn’t much buzz around his acquisition: Central Florida’s RJ Harvey.
The Pittsburgh Steelers would find an X-Factor in UCF running back RJ Harvey
Harvey’s 2024 campaign was special in every aspect of the word, as he proved himself lethal on both the rushing and receiving fronts. Statistically, he finished in the top five for rushing touchdowns (22) and was second to only Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty in yards per carry (6.8, and mind you, that’s second amongst the nation’s top 15 rushers). Meanwhile, he racked up 267 yards and three scores with his hands, averaging over 13 yards a catch.
Something else that doesn’t hurt is the fact he amassed these stats in a Power 4 league during what was a particularly deep year for it, as UCF faced TCU, Colorado, Iowa State, BYU, and Arizona State last fall. Especially when throwing a non-conference opponent like Florida into that mix, you can’t argue that Harvey’s senior year with the Knights didn’t send him off as battle-tested as possible.
This guy’s stats and experience align perfectly with what the Steelers had been attempting to establish in their running back unit, so if they intend to prioritize the position in this upcoming draft yet pass up on RJ Harvey, logic dictates that they’d be making one critical error.