Pittsburgh Steelers finest match for first spherical: Najee Harris is ‘Subsequent Franco Harris’

PITTSBURGH – It’s pretty obvious that the Pittsburgh Steelers will fix their running game in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Whether this starts with a running back or an offensive lineman is still up for debate, but some experts have an idea of ​​what is to come. AllSteelers sat down with former college and NFL head coach Jim Mora to discuss the Steelers’ best prospects with 24th overall victory, and he’s pretty sure there will be an obvious choice at the end of the first round.

“If Alabama’s Najee Harris is around, he’ll be a perfect fit for the Pittsburgh Steelers,” said Mora. “He’s the next Franco Harris, Le’Veon Bell.”

Harris’ college career was highlighted by a phenomenal senior season, accumulating a total of 30 touchdowns (26 rushing) and 1,466 yards on the ground.

Mora pointed to Harris as a person who makes him best suited for the Steelers.

“What strikes me about Najee is his character,” said Mora. “He’s a person of high character and I think the Pittsburgh Steelers are an organization and the Rooneys are a family that has always had an emphasis on it. He fits the type of player Mike Tomlin wants to fill his roster with. “”

Mora is a Steelers fan and knows that Pittsburgh is always the city of champions.

“The word that comes to mind when I think of the Pittsburgh Steelers, probably the word most people think of, and that is toughness,” he said. “And Najee Harris brings an element of toughness that is quite special.”

Mora has tracked Harris down since sophomore year high school. Born in California, Harris has turned into a unanimous All-American and is likely the top return in the 2021 NFL draft.

“He’s a tough guy. He crunches. He demands a lot from his players, but he’s fair,” said Mora. “Najee is a guy who can come in very quickly and fit into this locker room. He deserves the veteran’s respect because he knows when to shut up, he knows when to speak, he’s respectful.”

And if the Steelers have the chance to design the rolling back Alabama, this former head coach says they should.

“When Najee Harris sits there at 24, most of us expect to take Najee.”

Noah Strackbein is a publisher at AllSteelers. Follow Noah on Twitter @NoahStrack and AllSteelers @si_steelers.