Najee Harris may not be proving his doubters wrong yet, since mandatory minicamp just started this week. But the controversial first round is certainly impressing members of the Steelers' coaching staff.
In a session with reporters Tuesday, running back coach Eddie Faulkner showered Harris with praise, saying he has to sometimes teach the rookie to take a break. "He's always soaking it up, he's always wanting it," Faulkner said.
Later, Faulkner busted out a new analogy to illustrate Harris' relentless spirit. "He's always wagging his tail, ready to learn," Faulkner said. "That's fun as a coach."
Harris was an exceptional playmaker at Alabama, rushing for 2,690 yards over the last two years. The Steelers selected him with the No. 24 overall pick, despite the limited shelf-life of running backs, and holes at other areas.
The choice prompted many, including The Fan's Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller, to question Pittsburgh's judgment. While the Steelers had the worst running game in the NFL last year, they likely won't be much more successful this season without improved play from their offensive line.
Pittsburgh took two offensive linemen in the draft: guard Kendrick Green out of Illinois and offensive tackle Dan Moore out of Texas A&M.
All things being equal, Harris seems primed to thrive in the Steelers' "pass-and-protect" offense. His 2,080 yards after contact since 2018 — fifth-most in college football — indicates he should be able to shed tackles and turn screen passes into big gains.
LaDainian Tomlinson favorably compared Harris to a young Le'Veon Bell. Hopefully Harris keeps his Bell impersonation to the gridiron.
So far, that's where he's spending the bulk of his time, according to Faulkner. Last week, Faulkner said he told Harris he had to go home after practice.
Though there aren't any surefire ways to predict success in the NFL, a relentless work ethic is at the top of the list.
