There was no question the Pittsburgh Steelers were hell-bent on taking a running back in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. The only decision was who. And frankly, the worst kept secret that year was the team’s focus on Alabama’s Najee Harris, widely considered the top name at the position, over someone like Clemson’s Travis Etienne. On paper, it made sense. The Steelers prefer bigger and more powerful backs who could, in theory, handle a heavier workload in a system that centered on a singular feature back.
Fast forward two years later and one analyst says the Steelers made the wrong choice.