Should Lions Take a Closer Look at Alabama RB Najee Harris?
D'Andre Swift showed plenty of promise in his first season as an NFL back, and even displayed some signs of being able to be the Lions' No. 1 back entering 2021.
Swift, Detroit's second-round pick (No. 35 overall) in the 2020 NFL Draft, finished his rookie campaign with 114 rushes for 521 yards and eight touchdowns, good for a strong yards-per-carry average of 4.6 yards.
Along the way, he also had some big statistical performances, including a 116-yard, two-touchdown performance on the ground against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 6.
It made Swift the first Detroit rookie to accumulate 100 rushing yards and two scores on the ground in a single game since Lions legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Barry Sanders in 1989.
However, Swift also dealt with the injury bug as the season progressed, missing three total games due to a concussion and an undisclosed illness.
Naturally, it's led to people questioning his ability to hold up as a featured back, a concern which dates back to his days at Georgia when he suffered groin and shoulder ailments.
Detroit also has fourth-year back Kerryon Johnson in the fold. But, he's not expected to compete with Swift for the lead back job.
So, do Swift's durability concerns open the door for a fellow SEC product to join the mix in the backfield in the Motor City?
I'm talking about former standout Alabama running back Najee Harris.
Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports
Harris, standing in at 6-foot-2 and 229 pounds, rushed for a Crimson Tide record 3,843 yards and 46 touchdowns during his four years at Alabama, including 1,466 yards and 26 touchdowns in 2020.
His 30 total scores this past season -- including four receiving TDs -- were also a school record.
According to Jordan Reid of The Draft Network, Harris possesses a myriad of positive attributes.
As Reid writes,
"Harris is a blend of power, determination, and versatility as both a between-the-tackles runner and perimeter rushing threat. A comfortable pass-catcher out of the backfield, he’s made strides in his pass-catching ability every season. A running back that can have passing concepts designed around his abilities, he can routinely put second-level defenders in a bind with schemed patterns to attack coverage. A runner that always seems to fall forward when taking on contact, he’s a highly determined and physical rusher who forces defenders to tackle him to the ground through the echo of the whistle."
The highly-skilled Harris, who was a unanimous first-team All-American selection and the Doak Walker Award winner for the nation's top running back in 2020, profiles to be a featured back at the next level.
As a result, Harris is projected to be a late first-round pick by a variety of draft analysts, including WalterFootball.com's Walter Cherepinsky. Cherepinsky presently has Harris mocked to the N.Y. Jets at No. 23 overall.
If Harris is indeed viewed as a late first-rounder by NFL front-office executives, for all intents and purposes, the Lions are out of the running for his services.
Sure, they could trade back into the first round to acquire the ex-Crimson Tide runner. But, it would make little-to-no sense for the franchise to do so, after it grabbed Swift in the second round in last year's draft.
Harris might very well end up being the real deal. However, there's a very low likelihood he gets the chance to prove that he is in Detroit.
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