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The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Alabama running back Najee Harris with the 24th overall pick in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft on Thursday. The CBS Sports NFL Draft team breaks down the pick below, including a grade for the pick, how it affects fantasy leagues and more on Harris, including his strengths and weaknesses, his NFL comp and more.
24. Steelers: C
Pete Prisco: I don’t like picking backs in the first round. Good player, but backs should come later.
Fantasy impact
Dave Richard: This works for Fantasy. Najee Harris is the most NFL-ready running back in the class and is a physical, athletic power back who has very good hands. Mike Tomlin has preferred for his running backs to play a lot of snaps each week, and Harris is capable of handling that. The worry is that the Steelers offensive line won’t be ready to help enhance Harris, so his efficiency is in question. Luckily, his touches won’t be. While I’d love to say he’s a Round 3 pick in seasonal drafts, chances are there will be enough hype around him to push him into Round 2. I’m not ready to say that’s the right spot for him. However, we’re all ready to say that the No. 1 overall pick in rookie-only drafts is the right spot for Harris. He’s worth it.
NFL Draft profile
NFL comp: Matt Forte
Best trait: Pass-catching ability
|
College |
Height |
Weight |
Arm length |
Hand size |
– |
|
Alabama |
6′ 1″ |
232 |
33 1/4″ |
10 1/4″ |
– |
Strengths
- Great size to deliver punishing runs
- Can plant and change directions quickly
- Versatile talent capable of catching passes like a receiver
Weaknesses
- Limited top end speed
- Heavy workload at Alabama
- Would be a size outlier at the position in the modern NFL