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

[steelcurtain44]

Ask the Rams how they feel about that contract they gave Gurly? Ask the cowboys how they feel about that contract they gave fat Zeke? How’ed that work out for Lebron Bell in New York?

There’s a reason why Green Bay drafted Dillion last year; so they don’t have to give big doe to Aaron Jones.

The only long term contract to a running back that may work out is Kamara but that remains to be seen because he doesn’t take the pounding because most of his touches are passes out the backfield.

Ask every team about the QB, OL, DL, WR, LB, CB they drafted in the 1st and 2nd round that was a bust. If you are drafting in the late 1st round or early 2nd you get one of those stud RB. You saw what happened in last yrs draft. We ended up with McFarland. All those other RBs went in the first 2 rounds. You can always point out a great player was drafted in the late rounds, that's why they have more than 2 rounds of the draft. If the Steelers keep devaluing the RB position as most keep saying, then don't complain when they end up with the same running game that have now, even with a good O-line.

[Northern_Blitz]

Look at draft position we draft according to him 1.28 and 2.60

We might miss out on a top tier difference maker at RB if we wait to our pick in the 2nd. Last year was a good RB class, this year not as talented compared to 2020.

Just look at last year, 1.32 CEH, 2.35 Swift, 2.41 Taylor, 2.52 Akers , and Dobbins went end of 2nd at 55.

OT last year, 6th OT was 1.29 Wilson, 2.58 Cleveland, 3.71 Madubuke, 3.72 Josh Jones. And this year is suppose to be a good OL draft.

With that said, I wouldn't be against taking a top RB with our first pick. ( good year to trade back?)

I'm not opposed to 1st round RB.

If the guy turns out to be a stud, I like the idea of having the 5th year option before starting to deploy the tags (or at least using it as leverage for a below market contract if we go that way). In Bell's case, we didn't have the 5th year option because he was a 2nd rounder so we had to move to tagging him after 4 years.

But, the cost of 5th year options is going up for high performers so maybe that's not as valuable as otherwise.

We will have plenty of holes on the roster to fill come draft time. I think it's a good year for BPA because we'll have so many needs.

If a good player falls, I could see a reasonable argument for just about every position:
- C, Pouncey will be gone soon, maybe even next year. Could use a good starter.
- OT, AV probably gone. Could use a starter here if it's available. Only 1 capable of playing on the roster so far I think.
- WR If Juju leaves, it takes away our most consistent offensive weapon. I wouldn't do this in the 1st, but if a good talent falls I'd be OK with it I guess.
- TE I think we lose at least one of out two playable TEs, maybe both.
- RB Conner is likely gone (unless he gets squeezed and comes back on the cheap). Neither of the other two options looks like a clear starter (but I think they could platoon and be OK if we get an OL that run blocks well).
- QB I'd rather we wait on using a premium pick here, but Ben close to the end and I don't think anyone believes Mason is the long term answer.
- ILB Need someone to play beside Bush. Vince provides big savings if cut. And the other two guys with starting experience have contracts that expire.
- OLB Not an immediate need for a starter because Highsmith looks like he can play. But we do need depth here. I wouldn't want to use a 1st rounder here.
- CB Likely to lose at least one of Hilton and Sutton. Could see an argument for cutting one of the outside guys for cap savings too. A good, cheap, young CB would really help us.
- DT Tyson can't play forever. Can Buggs start?

We should just take whoever is the best player available. There aren't many positions we have where a good player wouldn't find playing time on this team next year IMO.

[feltdizz]

I'll bet you the Colts don't regret taking Jonathan Taylor early in the second.

take the best value IMO. I actually think we are better at drafting WR’s later in the draft than RB’s.

If Harris is available at the end of the first, I don’t think he will be... but if he is there and a better value than the OL on the board at that spot.. take him.

..or keep drafting RB’s later in the draft and continue to struggle in the run/passing game.

[feltdizz]

Look at draft position we draft according to him 1.28 and 2.60

We might miss out on a top tier difference maker at RB if we wait to our pick in the 2nd. Last year was a good RB class, this year not as talented compared to 2020.

Just look at last year, 1.32 CEH, 2.35 Swift, 2.41 Taylor, 2.52 Akers , and Dobbins went end of 2nd at 55.

OT last year, 6th OT was 1.29 Wilson, 2.58 Cleveland, 3.71 Madubuke, 3.72 Josh Jones. And this year is suppose to be a good OL draft.

With that said, I wouldn't be against taking a top RB with our first pick. ( good year to trade back?)

exactly, a lot of people talk like we are drafting in the top 10. We draft 15th or lower with Tomlin.

The idea that we can wait and wait for RB’s because Kamara is a stud or another UDFA turned into a star is a terrible way to justify waiting.

Brady was a 6th, AB was a 6th... but the odds suggest otherwise across the league.

I’m not opposed to drafting OL in the first but just to say we did it. If a stud RB is available you take him, especially if the OL talent doesn’t fall off a cliff with the second pick.

All I known is a big open hole on running plays usually gets us about 5 to 15 yards if we are lucky with the guys we tend to draft later at RB, Delvin Cook will get you 40 yards on the same play.

but maybe McFarland makes the leap next year and looks like the kid at MD once he gets more reps.

[Chucktownsteeler]

I think you have to go OL in Round 1. The following should be highly considered if there.

Creed Humphrey, C - Plug him in to anchor the line the next 10-12 years. The next great Steeler center?

Wyatt Davis - G - Grandson of Willie Davis - You know Tomlin loves "pedigree" and "NFL Bloodlines"

Other than Dotson are OL is depleted bigly.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

I'm not against going RB if the player on the board is far and away your guy and there is not another position player who you have also rated high who you will miss out on over the next 32 picks. I believe that Colbert history has him "reaching" for a player who we might not think is worthy of that hig a pick, but he believes will not be available next time his pick comes around. Typical example is Lawrence Timmons. Most people thought a guy like Joe Staley was a better, safer pick, but there was no way that Timmons would come close to the Steelers in the second and that is the guy he wanted.

It is the way he picks and it often looks strange because the player he picks is not necessarily the next guy on the list that game tape says should be next (according to the talking heads). I have always believed that Colbert's evaluation is based as much on getting to know the player and either elevating some guys or knocking them way down or off his board. It doesn't always work, but I'd say that he has a good enough track record that you have to at least give him the latitude to let it play out. It helps that I'm not much of a college guy so there is nobody who I've watched and evaluated all year just to see Colbert pass on him.

[pfelix73]

I think you have to go OL in Round 1. The following should be highly considered if there.

Creed Humphrey, C - Plug him in to anchor the line the next 10-12 years. The next great Steeler center?

Wyatt Davis - G - Grandson of Willie Davis - You know Tomlin loves "pedigree" and "NFL Bloodlines"

Other than Dotson are OL is depleted bigly.

IF and thats a big IF, we would draft any OL in round 1, I'd like to see them take a LT as an eventual replacement for AV. I think we are fine for now across the OL with the depth we already have. 1st round this year should be BPA. Whatever the position is. We can always use a good CB... TE... WR... because Haden, Ebron, and/ or Juju will probably be gone after season is over.

[Steel Maniac]

Ask every team about the QB, OL, DL, WR, LB, CB they drafted in the 1st and 2nd round that was a bust. If you are drafting in the late 1st round or early 2nd you get one of those stud RB. You saw what happened in last yrs draft. We ended up with McFarland. All those other RBs went in the first 2 rounds. You can always point out a great player was drafted in the late rounds, that's why they have more than 2 rounds of the draft. If the Steelers keep devaluing the RB position as most keep saying, then don't complain when they end up with the same running game that have now, even with a good O-line.

The league has devalued running backs. Good to great ones can be found after round one.

[Captain Lemming]

This example is pretty goofy. The reason we don’t draft RB’s as often in the first round or early is the same reason we don’t draft QB’s or TE’s that often in the first round.

We have 1 RB and 1TE on the field for like 70% of the snaps.

We usually have 5OL and go 3WR on those same plays.

Same with the defense. We draft a ton of OLB’s and thankfully, we changed our strategy when it comes to CB’s in the draft. Cause we stink at it when we draft early but we draft more of them for obvious reasons. Its just a numbers game..

BUT, you get what you draft and except for a few outliers and 1 year wonders we always had a much more dynamic and productive offense when we had a high draft pick at RB.

and our FO showed us that we didn’t devalue the RB position when we tried to resign Bell twice and tagged him twice.

but yes, its a numbers game, we will typically draft a position that needs more bodies more often than not because its the smart thing to do.

You miss my point.
There are two topics here. Are runningbacks undervalued period. I am not talking just Steelers. THE ENTIRE LEAGUE took ONE back in the first...at 32nd. One back in the first is not unusual, it is typical. We've had recent drafts with ZERO first round backs.

In decades past runningbacks were second only to QB in value. Five or six in a draft. They went 1st overall
FREQUENTLY.

Your case that runningbacks are not a devalued position is just not true.

EVERY SINGLE TEAM WITH A FIRST LAST SEASON COULD PICK ANY BACK THEY WANTED WITHOUT TRADING UP.

My other point was that STEELER 1st round runningbacks have been a crapshoot for our team.

Three of the four 1st round backs were "misses" Only Mendy was "alright".

Three of our last four interior linemen picks were PERRENIAL ALL PROS. The fourth was solid too.

We DONT MISS drafting interior linemen in the first. We hit major home runs.

Runningbacks? We miss early but when we build a good line we get "good enough" anywhere in the draft.

We have needs at oline and runningback. We draft 1st round linemen extremely well. Backs...not so much.

Therefore WE are better off picking linemen.

[Northern_Blitz]

IF and thats a big IF, we would draft any OL in round 1, I'd like to see them take a LT as an eventual replacement for AV. I think we are fine for now across the OL with the depth we already have. 1st round this year should be BPA. Whatever the position is. We can always use a good CB... TE... WR... because Haden, Ebron, and/ or Juju will probably be gone after season is over.

AV's contract is up after this year.

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/alejandro-villanueva-14408/

His eventual replacement will probably be required next year.

[Captain Lemming]

exactly, a lot of people talk like we are drafting in the top 10. We draft 15th or lower with Tomlin.

The idea that we can wait and wait for RB’s because Kamara is a stud or another UDFA turned into a star is a terrible way to justify waiting.

Brady was a 6th, AB was a 6th... but the odds suggest otherwise across the league.

But what you guys are missing is that THE ENTIRE LEAGUE knows good backs are a dime a dozen.

We got Bell is the second because NO BACK WAS SELECTED IN THE FIRST...period.

We are not talking the "exception" like Brady.

[Steel Maniac]

But what you guys are missing is that THE ENTIRE LEAGUE knows good backs are a dime a dozen.

We got Bell is the second because NO BACK WAS SELECTED IN THE FIRST...period.

We are not talking the "exception" like Brady.

Exactly Captain.

[BURGH86STEEL]

But what you guys are missing is that THE ENTIRE LEAGUE knows good backs are a dime a dozen.

We got Bell is the second because NO BACK WAS SELECTED IN THE FIRST...period.

We are not talking the "exception" like Brady.

I don't think that's it simple. Good backs are not a dime a dozen. That's almost like saying Barry Sanders or Derrick Henry are a dime a dozen. The NFL is a majority passing league. The injury risk associated with the RB position is the issue.

The Steelers had a a good fit with Bell in the Steelers offense. Unfortunately, Bell had other plans. A good/great RB can make a difference at the right price.

[Northern_Blitz]

But what you guys are missing is that THE ENTIRE LEAGUE knows good backs are a dime a dozen.

We got Bell is the second because NO BACK WAS SELECTED IN THE FIRST...period.

We are not talking the "exception" like Brady.

I think RBs are devalued vs. the days of the Bus. And I think it is generally unwise to give them long expensive second contracts.

But they aren't a dime a dozen.

They are luxury goods you pretty much can't afford if you pay your QB a market level deal.

But, it's great to have an elite back when you have the cap space.

I imagine that you'll argue that you'd rather spend all the extra cap space on the secondary and edge. And I wouldn't be against that strategy if you could find enough elite guys at those positions.

But in the current market, I think using that space to get an elite back would be cheaper and would take some pressure off a young QB.

I don't think it makes sense for us to do as long as Ben is here (and I'm sure that I have agreed with you that Bell saved us from ourselves ever since you made the comment). But I don't think that means it will always be a bad decision for us (or other teams with cheap QBs).

I strongly prefer OL (or just about any of the other needs we'll have) to RB in a vacuum. But drafting should be more about the actual player value than the position IMO and this is a great year for us to do true BPA.

[SteelerMaine83]

I think RBs are devalued vs. the days of the Bus. And I think it is generally unwise to give them long expensive second contracts.

But they aren't a dime a dozen.

They are luxury goods you pretty much can't afford if you pay your QB a market level deal.

But, it's great to have an elite back when you have the cap space.

I imagine that you'll argue that you'd rather spend all the extra cap space on the secondary and edge. And I wouldn't be against that strategy if you could find enough elite guys at those positions.

But in the current market, I think using that space to get an elite back would be cheaper and would take some pressure off a young QB.

I don't think it makes sense for us to do as long as Ben is here (and I'm sure that I have agreed with you that Bell saved us from ourselves ever since you made the comment). But I don't think that means it will always be a bad decision for us (or other teams with cheap QBs).

I strongly prefer OL (or just about any of the other needs we'll have) to RB in a vacuum. But drafting should be more about the actual player value than the position IMO and this is a great year for us to do true BPA.

As much as I hate to say it, I’ll take a good QB, a good OL and pick a 2nd or 3rd round bell-cow back every 4 years and run the wheels off them. Someone else can pay them that big 2nd contract if they can get it. My backups will be those cheap, vet minimum, change of pace backs that are around every year after the expensive FAs all get paid.