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Alabama running back Najee Harris runs for a first down against Mississippi during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020. Alabama won 63-48.
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Draft deep dive: Why Le'Veon Bell may not be the best comp for Najee Harris

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Draft deep dive: Why Le'Veon Bell may not be the best comp for Najee Harris

Scouts have had plenty to say about the Steelers’ draft picks in the weeks since the NFL draft. But what do those who’ve watched them closest think of their fit with their new team?  The Post-Gazette is finding out with questions for beat writers who covered each pick in college.

Today, AL.com’s Michael Rodak gives us the scoop on first-round pick Najee Harris. 

There's been some question about whether any running back is worth a first-round pick in today's NFL. Does Harris have the potential not just to be productive, but to challenge that line of thinking?

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I think he does. Some of the thinking behind not drafting a running back in the first round is that you can find one in later rounds who can give you decent production, and that the position has shorter career lengths. But Harris has some special traits in terms of his size and athleticism and was considered one of the most talented players nationally in his high school class. He stayed healthy at Alabama and has the potential to play for several years in the NFL and put those traits to use. He might not be on a Saquon Barkley or Derrick Henry level, but I do not see an issue with him being a later first-round pick.

Steelers running back Najee Harris practices at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex during rookie minicamp, Friday, May 14, 2021.
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How much of Alabama's success in the running game would you attribute to Harris vs. his offensive line?

It’s always tough to make the distinction without testing one without the other, but I would say the offensive line had at least some impact on his numbers. Harris’ backup, Brian Robinson, averaged 5.3 yards per carry and the third-string freshman averaged over 10 yards in his limited action. Alabama seemed to have success no matter who was in the backfield, but they’re also Alabama — almost every player on the field was once a four- or five-star prospect. It is a symbiotic relationship that is hard to split up.

Some have said Alabama's line last season may have been better than what Harris will have in Pittsburgh this season. Do you think he will be able to adapt if the blocking is less than stellar?

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Possibly. No running game operates in a vacuum, so I think that would depend on how Ben Roethlisberger plays this season and how much defenses are worried about defending the passing game. If defenses can stack the box and focus on stopping the run, and if the offensive line can’t block well for Harris, then Harris might have trouble. But outside of [Derrick] Henry or Adrian Peterson in his prime, most running backs would struggle in that scenario. I would call Harris talented but not historically special, so there still needs to be other aspects of the offense working alongside him — as was the case at Alabama.

Many have compared Harris to Le'Veon Bell. Do you think that's an apt comparison? Why or why not?

There are probably scouts who know more football than I do and make that comparison, but from my time covering the Buffalo Bills and watching Bell, I’m not sure I totally see the comparison. I always viewed Bell as being a major threat in the passing game — sometimes lining up at receiver — and having some east-west shiftiness to him. Harris shares those traits to some extent, but I would put him more in the power-runner category. Steven Jackson is another comparison that I’ve seen that I think matches Harris a little bit better.

Alabama running backs have been hit-or-miss at the next level during the Nick Saban era. Where do you think Harris falls on that spectrum and why?

In this March 16, 2021, file photo, Georgia Tech punter Pressley Harvin III punts the ball  during the school's Pro Day football workout for NFL scouts in Atlanta.
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Probably somewhere in the middle, but I suppose that’s why we all watch the games. It’s tough to say. I do not believe he is on the generational level of Henry, but I think he certainly has the talent to do better than Trent Richardson, who was a bust. Maybe Mark Ingram is where Harris ends up — a very good NFL player for a stretch of time but not necessarily a Hall of Famer.

Adam Bittner: abittner@post-gazette.com and Twitter @fugimaster24. 

First Published: May 13, 2021, 10:00 a.m.

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Alabama running back Najee Harris runs for a first down against Mississippi during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020. Alabama won 63-48.  (AP)
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