Todd McShay 2021 Mock Draft: Steelers Select Alabama RB Najee Harris

[hawaiiansteel]

What round was Johnathan Taylor taken last year?

Jonathan Taylor is a stupid example that doesn't help your case at all.

he was drafted early in the second round, so we would have had to pick him in the first round.

[NorthCoast]

I think the better question is who do you prefer paying on a rookie deal. The best or good enough?

The reality is paying the best at any position isn’t worth it IMO.

and we don’t have to pay anyone if the price is too high. We may see it play out with Bud and JuJu this year.

No problem paying a on rookie deal, but we know the Steelers keep players beyond when they should if they feel it's a good fit for the team. I still shudder what we could have been paying on Bell.

I won't hate it if we get a RB and he feels like BPA.

I just hope that someone else drafts him first and we can go for things that I think we need at least as much from guys that will be on the roster for more than 4 - 5 years.

But this article makes some good points, so I will dislike the pick less if it's what ends up happening.

I won't hate the pick if it happens. Colbert usually picks a winner in the 1st rd, regardless of position.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

I don't think the argument against a first round RB is so much "we can find a Kamara in the fourth" as much as it is that you can do as much, or more, to solidify your run game and offense by massively upgrading the line.

[Steel Maniac]

No problem paying a on rookie deal, but we know the Steelers keep players beyond when they should if they feel it's a good fit for the team. I still shudder what we could have been paying on Bell.



I won't hate the pick if it happens. Colbert usually picks a winner in the 1st rd, regardless of position.

We have a ton of needs. So whatever Colbert does can’t be thought of as “ wrong” per say. But to fix our running game situation , it’s not just inferior talent at the runningback position. The root problem is an O-line upgrade.

[hawaiiansteel]

But to fix our running game situation , it’s not just inferior talent at the runningback position. The root problem is an O-line upgrade.

it's both.

and your "we can find RBs in later rounds argument" is flawed because I can make that same argument for every position.

no need to select a QB in the first round, Tom Bradys are available in the 6th round.

[SteelBucks]

I don't think the argument against a first round RB is so much "we can find a Kamara in the fourth" as much as it is that you can do as much, or more, to solidify your run game and offense by massively upgrading the line.

I believe you can fill both needs even if we go RB in the first round. It’s a deep OL draft.

[feltdizz]

No problem paying a on rookie deal, but we know the Steelers keep players beyond when they should if they feel it's a good fit for the team. I still shudder what we could have been paying on Bell.



I won't hate the pick if it happens. Colbert usually picks a winner in the 1st rd, regardless of position.

We would’ve paid Bell 13 or 14 mill and only the first year would’ve been guaranteed. But why shudder? When we were trying to sign Bell he was a beast and a perfect fit in our offense.

The only issue would’ve been if we guaranteed 3 years and we all know thats why he didn’t sign. If he signed the first offer I think we would’ve “won” that deal.

but he didn’t.. and we had what we though was “good enough” and now.. well, here we are wondering how to get the running game going.

[feltdizz]

I don't think the argument against a first round RB is so much "we can find a Kamara in the fourth" as much as it is that you can do as much, or more, to solidify your run game and offense by massively upgrading the line.

do you honestly believe with an upgrade at OL we will have a good running game?

I don’t.

I liked what I saw of McFarland at Maryland and hope he gels with Canada but IMO it won’t be enough.

Will be happy to be wrong tho and see Snell and McFarland prove me wrong.

[Steel Maniac]

I don't think the argument against a first round RB is so much "we can find a Kamara in the fourth" as much as it is that you can do as much, or more, to solidify your run game and offense by massively upgrading the line.

There you go. I love Harris.

Maybe the deciding factor is the 5th year option and who’d you think you’d rather use it on?

[hawaiiansteel]

I believe you can fill both needs even if we go RB in the first round. It’s a deep OL draft.

I agree 100%!

Go BPA at a position of need, and both RB and OL qualify for that.

[feltdizz]

I agree 100%!

yes, everyone acts like its one or the other.

I have no problem going OL in the first and RB in the second if the chips fall that way.

but if Harris is available at 24 we better take him. He’s the complete back. Get OL in round 2.

[NJ-STEELER]

What round was Antonio Gibson taken last year?
What round was Johnathan Taylor taken last year?
What round was dobbins taken last year?
What round was AJ Dillion taken last year?

And that was just one year!!

What round was Kareem Hunt taken ?
What round was Kamara taken?
What round was Aaron Jones taken?

I could go on. But I rest my case.

i want to upgrade the OL in a big way by taking 2 of them in the first 3 rounds.

but if harris is there, i don't see how they can pass him up.

you can go thru a list of good offensive lineman that don't get drafted in the 1st round.
aside for LT, you'll likely find more guys who became good/great players on the OL then you listed at running back

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

do you honestly believe with an upgrade at OL we will have a good running game?

I don’t.

I liked what I saw of McFarland at Maryland and hope he gels with Canada but IMO it won’t be enough.

Will be happy to be wrong tho and see Snell and McFarland prove me wrong.

I think that upgrading the OL without the RB does upgrade the running game - as well as the passing game.

I think that adding a great RB without doing much on the line also upgrades both the running and passing game.

Given the option for one in theory and I go OL because it was already awful and two starters at least are lost. That being said, I am happy to see a combination of both - I am not against upgrading at RB. I am not familiar enough with college players to give a worthwhile opinion of what the combination of college players is that would benefit the team the most, but I do believe that OL is an absolute must.

[Captain Lemming]

yes, everyone acts like its one or the other.

I have no problem going OL in the first and RB in the second if the chips fall that way.

but if Harris is available at 24 we better take him. He’s the complete back. Get OL in round 2.

I'm going to back off my hard-line stance a little. If we have a LT and a back similarly ranked...go Tackle.

If Harris is much higher ranked, and we see the talent drop at RB to be greater than tackle I won't hate the pick.

I take far greater issue paying premium money on the second deal than drafting the right back early.

[Steel Maniac]

I don’t think any of us really have any problem between the order of those two as long g as it’s those two.