Hot Take Tuesday: Alabama running back Najee Harris will be a future Hall of Famer
The Alabama Crimson Tide just put together arguably the best season in college football history. They played a conference only schedule, winning every single game and cruised through the college football playoff. It didn't matter who they played; the Crimson Tide looked like they were playing a junior varsity team, with how dominant they were.
The running back has been a big part of their team's success and most Nick Saban teams, since arriving in Tuscaloosa in 2007. This year was no different with star running back Najee Harris, who has put together a phenomenal two-year run for the Crimson Tide and is poised to be a superstar at the next level. How good is Harris? He has the talent to be the best pro to come out of Alabama in the Saban era and the skill-set to become a future Hall of Famer.
Throwing out the term "Hall of Famer" when discussing prospects for an upcoming draft can sometimes be hyperbolic. Very few players from a class are even in the discussion for the Hall of Fame after their career is over but Harris could be the guy from this year's class.
Similar to a lot of players at Alabama, Harris was an elite recruit. He was top five in the nation and was one of the best high school running backs in recent memory. Harris had to wait his turn, though. He played sparingly throughout his freshman and sophomore campaigns. Every time he touched the field, the talent was evident but at a program like Alabama, Harris had to earn his playing time.
When playing with the best of the best, you have to work that much harder to see the field. Harris did just that. He took college football by storm as a junior, rushing for 1,224 yards and 13 touchdowns. What was most impressive about Harris was how he showed up in the big games. His best performances came against LSU and down the stretch against Auburn and Michigan.
He was elevating his play against the best competition. Many thought Harris would declare after the season he had, but Harris decided to return to school to improve his stock and show evaluators how talented he is.
It was easy to see from the start that it was the right decision. No opponent could stop Harris, no matter how hard they tried. Whether it'd be in the run or pass game, Harris was unstoppable. He led running backs in almost every statistical category, and the film backed it up. Harris displayed great vision, contact balance, and a physicality that defenders couldn't stop.
For a player who is 230 pounds and 6-foot-2," Harris has the movement skills of a scat back. His ability to identify holes and burst through them is phenomenal. What also makes Harris so special is that he is incredibly smart. He is always falling forward to pick up extra yards and understands what to do in all situations.
Even though he is a bigger back, Harris is one of the best pass-catchers in the draft. He has three drops over his four-year career and is an excellent route runner. There are no questions surrounding his ability to pass block, which is becoming increasingly important with manufactured pressure from defensive coordinators and the emphasis placed on the passing game.
He is a clear-cut first-round talent, and it would be shocking to see him fall past pick 32. Having an elite running back is still vital for team success, and there is no reason why a team can't build their roster around a player like Harris.
The tape is phenomenal, he showed he's a hard worker by improving every year and he always showed up in the big games. He is a better prospect than Derrick Henry and Josh Jacobs, who look like pro bowlers for years to come. Harris could end up as a top-five back from day one and in the right situation, he has all the talent in the world to be the best running back in football for the next decade and a future Hall of Famer.
