2021 NFL Draft: Najee Harris a powerful runner on light feet
By Cory Kinnan
Where he has room to improve
While Harris is an incredibly talented running back, there are a few areas for him to improve in 2020 to move the needle in his favor in the race for RB1. He only has a handful of games to put more meaningful reps on tape in order to persuade NFL scouts and general managers he is worth the investment of a high draft asset.
One glaring hole in Harris’ game is in the passing attack for the Crimson Tide. While he is a great receiver out of the backfield, Harris has room to improve in his ability to pass protect when asked to stay in for some added protection. For a man as big as Harris, he often opts towards the “speed bump” technique in order to slow down the incoming pass rush. He does not play with a high level of physicality in this element of his game.
The only other question that must be asked of Harris: can he be a home run hitter? It is not of the utmost importance because Harris is a solid and reliable force in the backfield, but his big play ability and long speed is not overly apparent on his tape during his time in the Crimson Tide backfield. This is not to say he does not possess the ability to breakaway from defenses in the open field, but it is not something that stands out when evaluating Harris.
Other than these few holes, it would feel rather nitpicky to tear apart Harris’ overall consistent and reliable game. How will this translate towards his 2021 NFL Draft stock, however? We take a look there next.