2019 NFL Draft: Can Damien Harris anchor the offense?

Damien Harris was a dominant force during the 2018 college football season, but can he anchor Alabama’s offense and solidify his 2019 NFL Draft stock?

The Alabama Crimson Tide are coming off of yet another championship season. Behind the efforts of a dominant defense and a balanced offense, Alabama managed to overcome a slew of unexpected developments to capture gold once again.

One of the driving forces behind that success was running back Damien Harris, who looks the part of a potential top-10 draft pick at the next level.

Harris ran for 1,040 yards and pulled down 14 receptions in 2016, but had his touchdowns poached from him by the design of the system. It was a strong year, nonetheless, as Harris proved to be one of the most explosive runners in the country.

2017 was an even better season by the Alabama star, as he sacrificed yardage for explosiveness and added significantly to his touchdown tally.

Harris ran for 906 yards on just 110 carries, which translates to an average of 8.2 yards per carry. He also produced 11 touchdowns, which displayed his ability to both work in the trenches and turn big gains into six points.

The question, however, is whether or not Harris can be a true No. 1 running back—and thus far, there are as many reasons why he won’t be as there are why he will be.

Harris was spectacular, but he’s also shouldered a relatively tempered workload at Alabama. That’s by design, and admittedly appealing as far as preserving his body is concerned, but he hasn’t yet been asked to truly anchor an offense.

What works clearly in Harris’ favor, however, is the fact that he’s arguably the most difficult running back in this draft class to bring down in the open field.

Considering Harris accumulated that statistic against an SEC-heavy schedule, that’s an even more compelling truth. He’s playing against the closest thing to an NFL-caliber defense, and he’s dominating while doing so.

Harris’ average of 8.3 yards per carry ranked No. 5 in the country in 2017, and his average of 7.2 yards per attempt ranked No. 15 in 2016.

Come 2018, it will be less bout the statistics and more about the technique. Harris is undeniably explosive and elusive, but he’s also a prospect who has never been tasked with shouldering a workload that could flirt with 200 carries.

That could change this season, as the Crimson Tide have a rising star in Najee Harris, but also a departed back in Dallas Cowboys star Bo Scarborough.

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If Damien Harris lives up to the hype in 2018, he could be the first running back off the board come the 2019 NFL Draft.