Wolverine Digest

Eight years after being left at the alter, Jim Harbaugh finally lands his running back

It was an epic tug of war recruiting battle between Michigan and Alabama that was ultimately won by Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide

Jerred Johnson

Dec 8, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris (22) looks to stiff arm Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
Dec 8, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris (22) looks to stiff arm Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images / Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Eight years ago, Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines went all in on 5-star top ranked Antioch HS running back Najee Harris. Harris had been committed to Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide since 2015, his sophomore year in high school. He was a dominant force in high school and rose to become the number one overall rated player in the 2017 class. Fresh off landing the 2016 top rated player, Rashan Gary, Harbaugh and his team were confident they could flip Harris to Michigan by pitching their run heavy offense.

The plan nearly worked.

Harris himself admitted that when he went to the airport to leave for college he still did not know if he was going to fly to Tuscaloosa or Ann Arbor. He ended up choosing Saban and the Tide, after a last-minute pitch from incoming quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, and the rest is history. Now, eight years later, it looks like Harbaugh finally landed his coveted running back.

After spending his last four years with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Harris has decided to leave the steel city for the city of angels. The two cities could not be more different, but the style of play is very similar. The Steelers and Chargers are run heavy, ball control offenses and Harris looks to spearhead a running attack that will take some pressure off signal caller Justin Herbert .

Harris
Alabama running back Najee Harris (22) hurdles Michigan defensive back Vincent Gray (31) in the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla., on Wednesday January 1, 2020. Cit07 / Mickey Welsh, Montgomery Advertiser via Imagn Content Services, LLC

It took eight long years, but the duo of Harbaugh and Harris are finally in tandem. As a running back, Harris could not have chosen a more favorable spot in free agency. With a Pro Bowl caliber quarterback and an offensive style that favors the rushing attack, Harris will look to revitalize his career in LA.

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Jerred Johnson
JERRED JOHNSON

Jerred Johnson has served in the United States military for over 23 years. He has a Bachelors in Marketing, a Masters in Management and is in the final phases of completing his Doctorate in Business Administration.

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