PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) — Maybe it's too soon to be talking about the 2021 Draft.
There are still three games left in the regular season, and the playoffs are still not even set in stone.
While that might be true for many, it's not the case for the league's scouting departments.
That stuff goes on 24/7, year-round.
So while it's never too early to start researching the next wave of young talent entering into the league, it appears that the Pittsburgh Steelers will have a specific position pinned on their bulletin board: running back.
Let me expand on that.
According to Bleacher Report's Matt Miller, the Steelers are checking out the crop of potential 2021 running backs.
Miller stated in the "NFL Draft Quick Hit Rumors" section of his Scouting Notebook feature that the Steelers could make their move early on a running pick next spring — this coming from Miller's sources.
And we're talking early early, like in the first round.
First-round running backs aren't as common as 10-15 years ago.
But the Steelers are projected to have a late selection, so the first-round pick would be comparable to a second-rounder, at least value wise.
Miller mentions that "Alabama's Najee Harris is a perfect fit for the team's run scheme."
So that could be a player worth monitoring as the draft process begins.
Other options will be available in the late first round, though.
Clemson's Travis Etienne could be there, but he's also the most highly touted running back in the class on many big boards, so it stands to reason that he could also be gone.
The Steelers wouldn't necessarily have to take a rookie running back with their first-rounder, either.
They could wait until the end of the second round, for example, and take someone like Memphis' Kenneth Gainwell, Ohio State's Master Teague, North Carolina's Javonte Williams, or Oklahoma State's Chuba Hubbard.
While it's not a particularly noteworthy running back class, there will be plenty of options to choose from.