Some of the prospects included in this series are participating in this year’s Senior Bowl, which could have a big impact on their draft stock. steelerfan11: Seymour does a good job avoiding unnecessary contact, but he will not be out-juking many defenders. He’s undersized, goes down on first contact more often than not, and has a fumbling issue. 2020 season stats: 914 rushing yards, 14 rushing touchdowns, 5.4 YPC, 48 receptions, 588 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns. steelerfan11: Williams is an electric playmaker who could not be contained coming out of the backfield in college. All four of the teams in conference championship week rank inside the top 10 in passing yards, with Kansas City, Tampa Bay, and Buffalo ranking 1-3 respectively. Ryland B.: Seymour is a strong downhill runner with a good powerback-type skillset. He wasn’t used as a pass-catcher a lot at North Carolina, but he can catch, and has the potential to be a dangerous receiver out of the backfield in the NFL. He also has good short area quickness and decent footwork. 2020 season stats: 1,072 rushing yards, 19 rushing touchdowns, 7.6 YPC, 0 receptions, 0 receiving yards, 0 receiving touchdowns. He also does not have natural hands, which could lead to more drops at the next level. najee_harris. He wins with his upper body strength and instincts, and he seems to get better as the game goes on. He has good vision and is fairly shifty, although he isn’t exactly a homerun threat. Ryland B.: Hubbard’s athleticism was never anything to write home about (for college football), instead, it was his production that really stood out. Ryland B.: Felton is a highly athletic and versatile running back. Ryland B.: Considered a top recruit coming out of high school, Najee Harris underwhelmed in his first few years at Alabama, but slowly improved each season to become the best running back in his draft class by his senior year. steelerfan11: Carr was a former five-star recruit who has battled injuries throughout his collegiate career. As a receiver, Gainwell has good hands and can run solid routes. He has great speed and excellent agility, although his lack of size and power could be a concern at the NFL level. He now sits at the table of Alabama football royalty for running backs. *Get the BEST Alabama football insider information, message board access, and recruiting coverage today! Michigan used him sporadically at defensive end because of his outstanding strength. steelerfan11: Herbert broke out for the Hokies this season, racking up over 1,300 scrimmage yards on 165 touches. Hometown Antioch, Calif.; School Antioch High School; Position Running Back; Status Signed Alabama 04/19/2015 He isn’t great in pass protection or pass-catching, either. Javonte Williams is another nice fit for us, but the Steelers generally build the offensive line from the inside out. As a receiver, Marable displays good hands and route running, with his speed making him very dangerous as a pass-catcher coming out of the backfield. He has good vision, quickness, and elusiveness, which makes him nearly impossible to bring down one-on-one in the open field. ... Ben Roethlisberger is dumping it off short 40 times a game due to an inability to run the football. If we don’t, we are not any worse off than last year. ... RB Najee Harris. thesfniners. Size will limit him to being a change-of-pace option in the NFL. When he chose to come to the Crimson Tide in its 2017 signing class, Najee Harris had his sights on winning championships, grabbing individual accolades and setting school records. Najee Harris played his high school football at Antioch High School in Antioch, California. He may not run a good 40 time at his pro day, but he has sufficient speed (don’t forget that Bell ran a 4.6). He has good vision, is elusive, and is a powerful runner. However, if Stevenson can prove that it won’t be an issue in the future, there’s a lot to be excited about concerning his NFL career. Ryland B.: A solid overall back, with nothing that particularly stands out positively or negatively. All of this isn’t to call Hubbard a bad running back or soft football player, but he just simply isn’t on the same par as some of the other backs this year. Harris is a fantastic draft prospect, and I expect him to be taken in the first round. That is something that none of the Steelers running backs were able to do last year. SIGN UP HERE to unlock our subscriber only content!*. If there’s one concern, it’s mileage, as Harris had over 800 touches during his 4 years at Alabama. He isn’t the fastest, but has enough speed and burst to succeed at the NFL level. Feb. 5, 2021 - 2021 Draft Profile: Does Najee Harris fall into Miami’s draft plans? Footwork is good as well, but he does not have an extremely strong lower body and will not be able to gain tough yards until he gets stronger. The first round options are the likes of Najee Harris and Travis Etienne, both of whom would be great additions to the Steeler offense. 2020 season stats: 1,140 rushing yards, 19 rushing touchdowns, 7.3 YPC, 25 receptions, 305 receiving yards, 3 receiving touchdowns. 2020 season stats: 858 rushing yards, 7 rushing touchdowns, 6.5 YPC, 9 receptions, 67 receiving yards, 0 receiving touchdowns. For a nearly 250-pound running back, Stevenson looks like the fastest guy on the field at times. steelerfan11: Hill is a strong runner who displays impressive upper body strength. Players were rated based on their projected impact for the Crimson Tide this season. steelerfan11: Jefferson is a patient runner who is dangerous as a receiver out of the backfield. He has improved as a receiver each season, and he is very consistent as a pass protector. Trey Sermon could be available in round 3. Position-by-position look at Tide's top spring 40 times If you didn’t know already, Alabama has a lot of very fast players. So here at BTSC, we’re proud to present our new collaborative big board. Make sure to check out Pittsblitz56’s articles on the subject for analysis and conversation regarding this year’s top seniors. Overall he’s a solid prospect with a fairly high floor, but he doesn’t have the highest ceiling. Jefferson is a fairly good athlete, and although he isn’t the fastest, he was a homerun hitter all year. He did improve as a pass-catcher, totaling a career high in receiving yards and better hands overall. Ryland B.: I hadn’t seen much of Rhamondre Stevenson during his time in college, but when I turned on the tape my first thought was, Wow, he moves FAST for a big guy. In a way, I see Javonte Williams as Benny Snell 2.0, someone with the powerful rushing style and contact balance the Steelers liked in Snell, but paired with good speed and burst to make him a complete back, something that Snell certainly lacks. He isn’t the biggest back out there, but is a surprisingly powerful rusher even though he might want to bulk up in the NFL. Sermon is a big, powerful, explosive runner with lots of upside, even though he was in a limited role with Ohio State his senior year. He’ll be a good add for a team in the later rounds, although I have to disagree with steelerfan11 on this one — there’s no way he’ll be coming to the Steelers in the draft this year. Despite the disappointment of the Steelers’ season ending in the Wild Card round, there was one small silver lining: draft season started a few weeks early. Ragas should be a solid addition to a running back room somewhere as a situational player. Najee Harris can surpass Derrick Henry as Alabama football's career rushing, but would have fewer games to do it in a shortened 2020 season. Overall, he projects as a key piece in a committee backfield that can fill in as a workhorse back if necessary. Then, if we land a top running back in the draft, we have excellent depth. A failed drug test at Oklahoma, as well as some academic issues earlier in his career, could be a red flag on his NFL resume. steelerfan11: Stevenson’s grade would be higher if not for off-field concerns. Najee Harris. Thankfully, it’s a strong class, and there should be plenty of starting caliber backs available such as Javonte Williams, Chuba Hubbard, Trey Sermon, (and a later on) Rhamondre Stevenson. Football practice is over and nearly all his teammates and coaches are gone. Najee Harris stands in the darkness outside Antioch High’s gym on a crisp autumn night. 2020 season stats: 176 rushing yards, 2 rushing touchdowns, 3.8 YPC, 10 receptions, 64 receiving yards, 0 receiving touchdowns. As a lead blocker, Mason takes advantage of his strength and aggressiveness, pushing defenders out of the way and clearing running lanes successfully. A lot depends on what happens in free agency, and once we see who is staying and who is leaving, we will have a better idea of how many needs we have to fill. Maurkice Pouncey officially announces his retirement along with twin brother Mike. ), we had the worst rushing output in the league. One has to question how much of Harris’ success was from the talent around him, but he showed me enough to rank him as the top back in this class. He’s a smooth runner with excellent footwork, and navigates through traffic well, often out-maneuvering defensive backs once he gets to the second level of the defense. Whether he plays as a change-of-pace back in the NFL or as a slot receiver, he is an intriguing chess piece that a good coach could get a lot out of. Bell was a bigger back coming out of college before he slimmed up in the NFL. With Damien Harris and Josh Jacobs departing for the NFL, Najee Harris has seen his carries per game nearly double from 7.8 last year to 13.5 this season. His smaller frame is a concern, but he hasn’t had any major injury issues and always plays bigger than he is, finishing runs with some power and giving his all every play. As a runner, he isn’t going to create extra yards on his own, but he has good burst through the hole. He was lined up in the slot and came on jet sweeps often in college, and he generally displayed good hands. So while I wouldn’t be heartbroken if the Steelers grabbed Najee Harris at #24 overall, I’d much rather the team pick a stud center or tackle there and then pick a running back in the second or third round. He has incredible balance through contact, and he shows good power in short yardage situations. Plus, the Steelers’ offensive line was schematically not in a position to run-block. Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. He does bring value as a kick returner as well, which is something that gives him value in year one. He will likely go in round two and could be a potential fit with the Steelers. He hasn’t shown any durability concerns, but it’s certainly something to be aware of due to the short shelf life on NFL running backs. Today at 5:40 PM. 2020 season stats: 878 rushing yards, 8 rushing touchdowns, 6.2 YPC, 16 receptions, 153 receiving yards, 0 receiving touchdowns. The last time I checked, Ezekiel Elliott has not won a Super Bowl. No running back having success in the league currently is running behind a bad run-blocking offensive line. He is a physical, fast runner who runs with good power and explosiveness. He shows good effort as a pass blocker, and he has fairly reliable hands as a receiver. What was your favorite Three Rivers Stadium memory. He could be a starter down the line, but he needs to show more value on third downs first. ... His 40 time at his pro day will be telling as to whether he has the desired speed for a running back. Ryland B.: Carter was sharing a backfield with the talented Javonte Williams in 2020, but still managed to set career-highs in nearly every statistical category, rushing for over 1,200 yards with a whopping 8 yards per carry. He seemed to take a mini step back as a pure runner, but part of it could be due to inconsistent play from the interior of Clemson’s offensive line. Ryland B.: Herbert transferred from Kansas to Virginia Tech for the 2020 season, and was rewarded with the best year of career. Carter is compactly built with a fast, explosive running style. It’s worth mentioning that Buffalo didn’t play many great defenses that year, and Patterson’s highlight reel has some stellar offensive line play on it as well, but his production is due mainly to his talent as a runner. 1 college football recruit, a chance to reflect on his hectic senior season and uncertain road ahead. James Robinson and Philip Lindsay were undrafted. steelerfan11: Harris reminds me a lot of Le’Veon Bell. steelerfan11: I was very impressed with Maine-Martin’s explosiveness when I watched him. I don’t know that Harris will slim up like Bell did, but he has a very patient running style reminiscent of Bell. 2020 season stats (Opted out during season): 822 rushing yards, 7 rushing touchdowns, 6.2 YPC, 16 receptions, 127 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown. He may be able to find a role in a committee and develop into something more if he can show value on third downs. Harris is eyeing a Heisman Trophy, a national championship, and a shot to advance on the all-time career list for rushers at Alabama. Verdell wasn’t used as much by the Ducks in 2020, but a COVID-19 shortened season and a good year by his backfield mate Travis Dye didn’t make for a great scenario for the Junior running back in the first place. According to credible sources, yours truly of Touchdown Alabama Magazine was told Harris clocked a 4.45 in the 40-yard dash. Jefferson has some of the best vision in the class, and although he isn’t particularly shifty, he’s a very slippery runner, navigating well through traffic and usually making it back to the line of scrimmage on broken plays. Verdell. Whether he was on the University of Alabama campus or at a training facility in Atlanta, Ga., Harris challenged himself with some of the most unorthodox exercises. Team Fit He isn’t the most secure ball handler, and one would think that a player with his skill set would be a better receiver than what he is. Mitchell has seemed to regress slightly as a receiver, but he has shown ability in that department. steelerfan11: If Verdell could pass protect, he would be in the day two conversation. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith. Still, Patterson is a highly-productive running back with a good enough athletic profile to have starter upside in the NFL. He uses his size well, playing with great leverage and leaning forward for the additional yard. steelerfan11: Patterson nearly set a single game FBS rushing record this season before being pulled in the fourth quarter. He isn’t the fastest or most elusive, but he has good athleticism, jumping over the pile or even hurdling defenders at times successfully. The University of... “We strive to provide you with the absolute best Alabama football coverage in the world.” - Bennie Bice III, Touchdown Alabama ©2020 The point is, is that Harris managed to topple program records left by all-pro talents. steelerfan11: Carter was one of the most explosive backs in the country over the past two seasons, rushing for over 2,600 yards and 16 scores. Injuries are the biggest issue with Sermon. This year, the exact opposite is taking place with Felton. I don’t think Roundtree has Pro Bowl upside per se, but he’s NFL ready and has a solid floor. The Coronavirus... William Anderson proved to be one of Alabama’s best defensive performers in 2020. He hit the hole with authority, had sufficient elusiveness, good speed, and excellent contact balance, which led to a lot of broken tackles. Najee Harris Obliterates Florida, Alabama's Record Book at Same Time Thanks to a five-touchdown performance from its star tailback, Alabama survived Florida, 52-46, … He has looked really good in Alabama’s first two fall practices, but he’s worked hard all summer. They were aligned in an upright position to protect Big Ben and nothing else. He weighed in lighter than what some scouts were hoping for, but he has flashed his quickness and ability as a receiver this week. Ryland B.: Gainwell opted out of the 2020 season, which is always something to take into account. Felton’s strong hands and aforementioned quickness make him a threat catching passes, and his speed and running ability make him an interesting day three option, although he is far from an every down player. Besides fullback, Mason has been used as a running back, tight end, defensive end, and special teamer during his time at Michigan. The first thing that pops out is his burst. His 40 time at his pro day will be telling as to whether he has the desired speed for a running back. Alabama senior running back Najee Harris doesn't remember the first ... Alabama senior running back Najee Harris doesn't remember the first time he hurdled a defender as a five-star talent at Antioch High in California. 2020 season stats: 309 rushing yards, 3 rushing touchdowns, 3.8 YPC, 10 receptions, 33 receiving yards, 0 receiving touchdowns. He shows some potential as a pass blocker, but he is not a great receiver. 2020 season stats: 1,245 rushing yards, 9 rushing touchdowns, 8.0 YPC, 25 receptions, 267 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns. That showed during the Crimson Tide’s spring workout testing. Ryland B.: Roundtree is similar to fellow 2021 draft hopeful Elijah Mitchell in that he’s a solid all-around back with not much that stands out in a good or bad way, with the exception of his impressive vision as a runner. He’s a versatile player, having had success as both a runner and a receiver out of the backfield, even tossing a touchdown pass in his Kansas career. What happened to the Steelers’ 2007 draft class? I understand the craze for the next Derrick Henry or Josh Jacobs, but if you look at Super Bowl champions in recent history, we can see that none of the Super Bowl winners had elite running backs. However, if he can prove at his pro day that he stayed in shape this year, there should be no reason to worry. He has good size and impressive intangibles, but injury issues and poor production have really hurt his college career. He is very dangerous in open space and can win a footrace against many defensive backs. Hawkins is willing as a pass blocker but not great at picking up defenders, and is too small to do much about it when he does. 6,217 likes. He wasn’t used much as a receiver in college, logging zero stats in that category in 2020, but has the ability to do so. As I’ve mentioned with all of the prospects who have opted out, this is worth keeping an eye on as time away from the field can result in regression, but most of these guys are great athletes who will continue to train hard away from their teams. If you are interested in the draft and would like to contribute to the board, let us know in the comments below. steelerfan11: Etienne could have entered the draft last year, but he returned to work on his receiving and pass-blocking skills. Powered by Wordsrack, RELATED: Alabama Football Fall Camp Day 2 Photo Gallery, Alabama is getting a true competitor in 4-Star TE Elijah Brown">, BREAKING: 4-Star TE Elijah Brown announces verbal commitment to Alabama, A date has been announced for Alabama’s spring game, Alabama Football Fall Camp Day 2 Photo Gallery, Nike co-founder Phil Knight talks to Alabama football. where would Najee Harrie go? steelerfan11: I was super impressed with Williams’ performance this season as a runner. Jan. 31, 2021 - 2021 NFL Draft: BTSC Big Board, the Running Backs Behind the Steel Curtain - www.behindthesteelcurtain.com2021 NFL Draft: BTSC Big Board, the Running Backs - Behind the Steel Curtain; Scouting Najee Harris: Alabama RB reminiscent of Matt Forte NFL.com - www.nfl.comScouting Najee Harris: Alabama RB reminiscent of Matt Forte - NFL.com By chronob, January 12 in Talk About the Falcons. Hubbard totaled over 2,000 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns in an impressive Sophomore campaign for Oklahoma State in 2019, but that stellar production faded in 2020, leaving the overall impression of Hubbard as somewhat average (again, for college football). As a runner, Etienne is a speedster, one of the fastest in this class. He’s definitely someone to keep an eye on as the draft gets nearer. 6 free agents the Steelers could end up keeping for 2021. Jah Maine-Martin — North Carolina A&T. The main rankings and grades are steelerfan11’s, while overall analysis is a collaborative effort. Running back is the most expendable position, which is why using a first round pick on one is not usually a wise thing. As a former five-star from Antioch, Calif., he has one national title and […] 2020 season stats: 1,182 rushing yards, 8 rushing touchdowns, 7.7 YPC, 10 receptions, 179 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown. Ryland B.: Williams is an incredibly elusive and shifty running back with great speed and acceleration. 2019 season stats: 1,459 rushing yards, 13 rushing touchdowns, 6.3 YPC, 51 receptions, 610 receiving yards, 3 receiving touchdowns. One scouting report that I read pointed out his poor decision making on zone reads, which is noteworthy considering that NFL teams seem to be running more zone-read concepts every year. Neither has Henry or Jacobs. He has some ability as a receiver and pass protector as well. The current record holders in Combine history for the 20-yard shuttle are Jason Allen (2006) and Brandin Cooks (2014) at 3.81 seconds. If Landon Dickerson is there, would we take Williams over Dickerson? He’s a patient runner with good vision, especially when he gets to the second level. Besides, the Steelers have more pressing needs on their offense line, as nearly every position beside Kevin Dotson’s guard spot will need to be replaced over the next season or two. Should the Steelers draft a running back in the 2021 NFL Draft? He will need to get stronger if he wants to have any shot of being a starter in the league. It’s well known that the Steelers scout the MAC a little more diligently than most NFL teams, meaning that the Toledo running back will likely be on Pittsburgh’s radar. Still, his impressive sophomore year shows that Hubbard can be a dynamic weapon, and he’ll definitely be worth a pick at some point in the middle rounds of the draft. He’s extremely fast, is fairly shifty, but the rest isn’t great. 2020 season stats: (Opted out during season) 58 rushing yards, 0 rushing touchdowns, 3.9 YPC, 23 receptions, 237 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown. He’s a running back that screams “Pittsburgh Steeler”, as he’s an underclassmen, runs with power and an attitude, and produced well in college. He definitely could be a middle of the road starter in the next year or two. He displays good awareness as a runner, and his balance through contact is impressive as well. A good pro day might shoot him up boards as we get closer to the draft. You can find the latest edition HERE. Hubbard’s greatest strength as a runner is his vision, but he has solid speed as well and a decent arsenal of moves. If the tackles dry up quicker than expected, by all means take Harris if he is clearly the best player available, but he should not be the frontrunner for the pick. If Harris was at the NFL Scouting Combine, he would have set a record for the event. As a receiver Jefferson doesn’t have the strongest hands, and although he wasn’t used much as a pass-catcher, I think that’s a skill he can easily add to his repertoire on the next level. There is certainly upside here, but this season left more questions unanswered than answered about his game. Ryland B.: Hill opted out to prep for the NFL Draft partway through the 2020 season, which won’t be a big concern if he can prove that he stayed in shape. 4 by looking at last year’s leading rusher, Najee Harris. Mason generally does a good job of picking up blitzes as a pass blocker, and he maintains a good pad level as a run blocker. Harris is eyeing a Heisman Trophy, a national championship, and a shot to advance on the all-time career list for rushers at Alabama. Combine that with all of our running backs running upright and not leaning forward for extra yards (could this be at the fault of Faulkner? Harris isn’t quite Derrick Henry, as he is a good twenty pounds smaller, but he is a very powerful and determined runner, and he does a good job of leaning forward for that extra one or two yards. Ryland B.: I’ve seen some debates on the internet over the past month or so arguing that Williams is the second-best running back in this class over Travis Etienne — and while I’m not ready to go that far yet, Williams’ incredible 2020 season certainly puts him in the discussion. The retirement was announced by Pouncey’s long-time friend Ramon foster. Najee Harris looks like he could be the first running back taken in the 2021 NFL Draft. Is a Kelvin Beachum reunion a realistic option for the Steelers in 2021? najee harris 40 time : Related News. steelerfan11: Sargent has the elusiveness to make defenders miss, and he makes good cuts. 2020 season stats: 758 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns, 5.8 YPC, 9 receptions, 106 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns. We compile Player rankings using proprietary research techniques and hours of film evaluation. The 6-foot-2, 230-pounder got more aggressive toward the end of last year, and it became the reason why Nick Saban and offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian trusted him more. Last year, we saw Antonio Gipson switch from receiver to running back, and he had a phenomenal rookie season. Felton is dynamic on the outside, but running between the tackles will not be an option for him at the next level. Late 1st round grade #22, Senior, 6’ 2”, 230 lbs. He will likely be limited to a role in a committee backfield in the NFL until he can become a better pass-blocker. He doesn’t have the greatest vision, and will sometimes try to push runs too far outside. With Damien Harris and Josh Jacobs off to the NFL, Harris became the starting running back for Alabama Crimson Tide. He hasn’t been very productive as a receiver, and he does not have great balance through contact. He has the talent to be a second round pick, but right once he looked completely healed from the ACL tear last season, he suffered a shoulder injury in the National championship game. I realize that the Steelers have not necessarily hit on a ton of mid to late round running backs, but we see it happen all across the league. Maybe, but it would be a tough decision. Mitchell has all the attributes to be successful in the next level, and I see him as a solid-all-around addition to a running back committee somewhere, although I think he has starter upside like much of this running back class does. While it would be nice to have an elite runner like Harris, it is not a necessity to win a super bowl. Harris has the size of a NFL running back, but he also has the power and athleticism to succeed at the next level. Mason is probably a little too small to play defensive line in the NFL, but he still has the upside to be a very good special-teamer. When there is smoke, a fire is not too far behind. 27. BamaInsider continues to unveil its annual top-40 list for the Alabama football team. If he can stay healthy, he could be a really good back in the NFL, but that seems to be a very big “if.”. Ryland B.: C.J. There are both pros and cons to bringing back the Steelers final draft pick from 2012. Ryland B.: An incredibly fast and elusive runner, Marable was a versatile back during his time in college, having impressive production through the air and on the ground. Etienne isn’t a complete running back just yet, but he has a solid foundation of tools and his impressive speed gives him lots of upside as an NFL back. He isn’t terribly agile, but he has good vision and burst. He has good footwork and vision as a runner, and he plays bigger than his size. His vision isn’t that great as a runner either. He has decent size and power, good speed, and impressive agility. Harris had his best game against Arkansas State, carrying the ball 13 times and gaining a career-high 135 yards. His senior year at Alabama, Najee’s performance became more aggressive, in a good way, which is the reason why coach Saban and Steve Sarkisian, his offensive coordinator put all of their trust in him. One knock on him is that he doesn’t have top end speed, and it takes him a while to build up his speed. He doesn’t have a lot of tread on the tires, but he will likely be limited to short yardage situations until he can prove something as a receiver. NFL Draft Travis Etienne, Najee Harris, Chuba Hubbard Top 2021 NFL Draft RB Prospects Blake Schuster Contributor III January 17, 2020 Comments Williams isn’t the fastest in this class, but he’s an excellent power back with enough speed to be a starter in the NFL. His versatility and speed are great assets that will make him an exciting addition to any backfield in the next level. If you are interested in contributing, or just want to share your thoughts about the draft, please let us know in the comments below. A lack of power paired with a lack of elusiveness is a bit of a problem, but Boyd’s excellent speed and vision make up for it. Najee Harris Just Had the Best Running Back Hurdle of All Time Ryan Phillips 1/1/2021 Prosecutors eye 400 potential suspects, expect charges ‘soon’ in Capitol riot