2020 NFL Draft November Big Board: Jalen Hurts, K’Lavon Chaisson on the rise

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Najee Harris RB

Scouting Report

He lives! Welcome to the 2020 running back party Mr. Najee Harris! Najee Harris has had himself a month that got started in probably the biggest game in all of college football this year. A showdown against LSU to start the month saw his Crimson Tide lose but he was absolutely one of the stars of the show.

Coming into Alabama as the consensus number one high school running back in America, Najee hadn’t lived up to the hype he came in with as he sat behind other really good backs. Against LSU we finally saw a glimpse of what made him so highly sought after as a recruit.

Maybe he isn’t a special running back but he definitely carved out his niche in a very deep class of running backs. Harris lacks elite burst but he showed a great deal of patience and very good vision. He shows great patience as a guy who allows his blockers to latch on and even has the ability to set up his own blocks.

Najee comes in a very big frame at 6’2” 230 yet he still shows some nimbleness to his game. He is able to slice in and out of running lanes and sidestep defenders on his way to picking up yards. The best trait for Najee his how impressive his contact balance is for a guy who is an upright runner. He is able to take hits and keep moving while lowering his shoulder to deliver his own when needing too.

Once he is in the open field he shows some of his good athletic ability as a guy who has been known to hurdle a defender or two in his time at Alabama. His most impressive moments this month have come with him introducing the draft community to his natural skills as a pass catcher. He has soft hands out of the backfield and even will high point the football like a topflight receiver.

He has build-up speed but he won’t run away from defenders very often. He won’t wow you with overall explosiveness as he lacks an elite athletic trait as far as straight line speed or quickness. There is a reason he’s a riser in a deep running back class. Najee Harris is a well-rounded back who has cemented his status as a Day 2 pick.