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Najee Harris, or Travis Etienne?

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The Pittsburgh Steelers are in serious need of a featured running back. With Ben Roethlisberger returning for another season, it’s crucial that the team give him a strong running game to keep the offense balanced. When the temperatures dropped in November and December, the Steelers couldn’t manage 50 yards rushing most games. That was a recipe for disaster.

The Steelers will likely move on from James Conner, leaving them with two running backs that are more like a compliment to each other, rather than two featured backs.

Benny Snell Jr., and Anthony McFarland both have solid qualities as a running back, but neither check all of the boxes. Snell is a bruiser without much top end speed, while McFarland offers the quickness.






Both can be effective in different situations, but they could flourish in tandem with a game breaker. There are two potential game breakers in the 2021 NFL Draft, Najee Harris, and Travis Etienne.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, General Manager Kevin Colbert, and offensive coordinator Matt Canada attended each of their schools Pro Days (Harris didn’t participate but was in attendance) and are reportedly very interested in both backs.

Will the Steelers have their choice between Etienne, and Harris? It’s likely they both will be on the board at that time, and odds on SportsBettingDime list Harris at -110 as the favorite to be the first running back selected. Second to Harris is Etienne at +125.






Tony Pauline from Pro Football Network has linked the Steelers to Harris since late January where he reported that they showed a lot of interest in the running back at the Senior bowl. He continued to link them to Harris this past week saying that they continue to be very serious about drafting him in the first round.



Regardless if it’s Etienne or Harris, the Steelers will be getting a serious upgrade at the running back position if they choose to go that way.

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Litos said:
Javonte Williams in the 2nd after getting a top T or CB
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Would love. Scared of Etienne..although, also scared he will be brilliant for another club.
 
Steelers should never draft a CB high in this or any draft. Their record on drafting CB'S is atrocious overall. Stick to FA's. Plus, we need RB and OL way before CB. I'd take Etienne or Harris. I'd like to see there 40 times. If Harris puts up some freak number for his size, I'd be taking him. He can do it all. Etienne can do it all as well but is a little smaller and, at this point, I believe faster and quicker than Harris. Either would instantly improve our running game and give Ben a weapon out of the backfield.
 
I'm sticking to LT as my biggest need due to NO faith in banner / Chuks, we need a stud staRTER who I'm hoping equals the value 1.24

Don't worry though as I won't go ape-**** negative either way as if I have any control over who they draft...........................................

Salute the nation
 
I mean if things are equal a LT VS a RB? Just crazy to me not to go LT. If a RB is a BPA sure.
 
slashsteel said:
I mean if things are equal a LT VS a RB? Just crazy to me not to go LT. If a RB is a BPA sure.
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Deep draft for Ts. Not so deep (so they tell us) for RBs ... Under that scenario, I'd go RB because there won't be many (any?) left of that quality in the 2nd RD. I think, after listening to all the draft "gurus", that the T you could get at 2:55 could develop into the same level of pro that you could get out of 1:24.
 
Logic says that there are THREE top tier RB's in this draft:

1. Harris
2. Williams
3. Etienne

We have the WORST RUNNING GAME in the AFCN and very near the bottom in the entire league. Yes, we need an LT and a C; but both of those positions are FAR DEEPER in this draft than RB.

Let's face it - when Ben is under center, with the current WR's/TE - no team will be ignorant enough to stack the box and blitz Ben. I don't know Coach Canada's offensive strategy, but the homer in me says that Najee is the best option durability & production-wise.

I won't be upset of any of the top three are the pick at 1.24 though...
 
Each of the three RBs bring you something special something different. ET 9 the most explosive, Williams the most physical. Harris brings a little bit of everything which I can see why he is the number one listed on many of draft publications. I would love all three to be there and see who the FO favored.
 
I'm telling you, we don't trade back, we trade up in the 2nd. We take the best OL or RB on our board in Rd. 1. We then use our 3rd next year and trade up in the 2nd to get the best OL or RB we didn't get in Rd. 1. That should be 2 starters at our biggest area of need - a running game and an aging/disappearing OL. I was originally expecting JuJu and Big Al to get good contracts elsewhere which should have guaranteed us at least one 3rd round comp pick next year but now, probably not since we only lost Bud and Hilton. That's my plan and I'm sticking to it if I were GM for the day.
 
I think the question would be...which running back performs better out of the shotgun formation nd w/o a fullback?

Since that is Ben's formation of choice, and we all know the fullback deal..
 
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slashsteel said:
Each of the three RBs bring you something special something different. ET 9 the most explosive, Williams the most physical. Harris brings a little bit of everything which I can see why he is the number one listed on many of draft publications. I would love all three to be there and see who the FO favored.
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Reading up on all three RBs, I would be good with anyone of those guys, tbh. If we could get our franchise back this draft with some building blocks around the OL, it could be a very favorable draft.
 
I'd take Harris or Williams. In the title games OSU shut down Etienne. Harris did not do all that great against OSU, but a lot better than Etienne did. Williams seems more like a Steelers type back to me.
 
Would not complain about Harris at 24 as I think he is the best back of the bunch. Also think that going high-tier LT in the first, like Slater (have to grab him if there), Eichenberg or Mayfield, and then praying Williams is there in the 2nd, also makes a huge amount of sense.

I also believe that if a premium LT is there at 24, and a potentially elite C is available at 55 (*cough* Creed Humphrey), the team should bite the bullet and wait on taking a RB. Gainwell in the 3rd, maybe?

Sorry to harp on this, but I get the feeling the 2022 draft spot will be around 14-17 so they will get a chance on a 3-down RB in that draft, after the OL is fixed.
 
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For whatever the mocks know, it looks like the Steelers could trade down and still get one of the top OLs AND one of the top RBs in the late(r) first and/or early-mid second rounds.
 
LT is the position we need the most, then RB or C. There are only 3 RB's with top 50 value while, it can be argued, there are up to 10 tackles with top 50 value. Although, some of those tackles may really be guards at the pro level, depending on whose scouting report you believe. Unless something stupid happens and either Sewell or Darisashaw fall to us, my money would be on taking a RB in the1st, T and C in either/or 2nd/3rd. I really don't have a favorite of the 3 so best case scenario would be to trade back a few spots, get the RB that is still there, and gain an extra player.
 
steelerscotty said:
LT is the position we need the most, then RB or C. There are only 3 RB's with top 50 value while, it can be argued, there are up to 10 tackles with top 50 value. Although, some of those tackles may really be guards at the pro level, depending on whose scouting report you believe. Unless something stupid happens and either Sewell or Darisashaw fall to us, my money would be on taking a RB in the1st, T and C in either/or 2nd/3rd. I really don't have a favorite of the 3 so best case scenario would be to trade back a few spots, get the RB that is still there, and gain an extra player.
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thing is, we don't need a tackle, we need a LT so those 10 tackles with top 50 value probably are actually 4 to 6 possible LTs and the rest are best fitted for RT
 
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