After losing a handful of starters in free agency, the Pittsburgh Steelers can practically go in any direction early in the 2025 NFL Draft. With the breadcrumbs continuing to fall, one position the front office seems intent on taking within the first four rounds is running back.
The Steelers lost starting running back Najee Harris to the Los Angeles Chargers in free agency. Harris had no issue carrying the load for Pittsburgh over the past four years, but he fell short in the efficiency department—earning just 3.9 yards per carry during his tenure in Pittsburgh.
What's worse was his lack of explosive plays. Even when the blocking was perfect, Harris couldn't take it the distance. His longest run with the Steelers went for just 37 yards, despite carrying the football 1,097 times during the regular season since 2021. Harris' lack of big-play ability was likely the reason Pittsburgh didn't pick up his fifth-year option last May.
However, there's a chance the Steelers fall back into the same trap in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Head coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Omar Khan have been busy scouting draft prospects since early in the offseason, and they've had their eye on the running back position. Most of the players they've brought in for pre-draft visits—like Virginia Tech's Bhayshul Tuten, Tennessee's Dylan Sampson, and Texas' Jaydon Blue—possess top-end speed and true home run ability.
But one running back they have their eye on does not, and the Pittsburgh Steelers can't afford to repeat the mistakes of the past.
The Pittsburgh Steelers must avoid Oklahoma State RB Ollie Gordon in the 2025 NFL Draft
If there's one running back from the 2025 NFL Draft who most closely resembles Najee Harris, it's Ollie Gordon II. The Oklahoma State prospect stands at 6'1 3/8'' and weighs 226 pounds, with long arms and big hands. Gordon even moves like Najee on the field—finding space and attempting to punish tacklers.
The Steelers have made it clear that they are interested in Gordon. After hosting a formal meeting with the bruising back at the 2025 NFL Combine, Pittsburgh's decision-makers used a valuable top-30 pre-draft visit to bring Gordon to the facility for a private meeting.
While Gordon and Harris share many of the same strengths, with size, durability, and workhorse potential, they also share the same weaknesses.
At the NFL Combine, Gordon ran a 4.61 40-yard dash. This lack of speed lines checks out with what we see on film, and his poor 40 time is good for just the 31st percentile among all running backs who have participated at the NFL Combine since 1999, per Mockdraftable.com.
Despite going up against suspect Big 12 defenses, Gordon averaged just 4.6 yards per carry in 2024 (which is underwhelming for a college running back). His 2024 season was notably worse than his 2023 campaign, as he looked slower and less explosive this past year.
It's also worth noting that Gordon has carried the football 475 times over the past two seasons, and there's a chance he could wear down fast in the NFL. Thankfully, Gordon wouldn't cost the Steelers anything close to a first-round pick (like the one they spent on Harris in the 2021 draft). Rather, Pittsburgh could be looking at the big back as a possible selection in the third or fourth round.
Still, the Pittsburgh Steelers would be wise to avoid this type of running back altogether. Ollie Gordon II is a Najee Harris clone who lacks both speed and quickness. For a team that has struggled to run the football in recent years, they need to pursue more explosive options in the backfield in the 2025 NFL Draft.