Steelers Bring in Potential Najee Harris Replacement for Visit

The Pittsburgh Steelers' running back room still has the makings of a solid unit in the face of Najee Harris' departure to the Los Angeles Chargers, but they could use one more piece as the cherry on top.

Per Justin Melo of The Draft Network, the Steelers plan to host Kansas State running back DJ Giddens on a top-30 visit ahead of April's NFL Draft.

The Pittsburgh Steelers plan to host Kansas State RB DJ Giddens on a 30 visit.

Fresh off losing Najee Harris.

Giddens finished 2nd among RBs at the Combine in the Vert (39.5") + Broad (10'10") + ran 4.43.

Giddens had Combine formals with #Steelers (👀), #Chargers, #Jaguars.
— Justin M (@JustinM_NFL) March 12, 2025

Giddens saw his stock rise with an impressive showing at the NFL Combine, where he met formally with the Steelers.

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The 21-year-old tied for the second-highest vertical jump (39.50 inches) and broad jump (10 feet, 10 inches) along with a 20-yard shuttle (4.33 seconds) and 40-yard dash (4.43 seconds) that ranked fourth and tied for seventh, respectively, among all players at the position.

He arrived at K-State in 2021 and redshirted as a true freshman before emerging as a significant contributor in 2022 with 518 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 89 carries while playing behind All-American Deuce Vaughn.

As the starter during the 2023 campaign, Giddens exploded for 1,226 yards and 10 scores on the ground in addition to 323 yards and three touchdowns on 29 receptions.

It was more of the same in 2024, as he went for 1,343 rushing yards and seven touchdowns while tacking on 258 yards and a score through the air across 21 catches.

Standing at 6-foot-0 and 212 pounds, Giddens is an elusive back with good vision who is expected to go either late on Day 2 or early on Day 3.

Giddens would fit in well alongside both Jaylen Warren, whom the Steelers placed the second-round tender on, and Kenneth Gainwell, who the team agreed to a one-year deal with in free agency.

The team's only other known pre-draft visits up to this point have come with Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough, Ole Miss defensive tackle JJ Pegues, West Virginia offensive lineman Wyatt Milum and Iowa State wide receiver Jaylin Noel.

UPDATE: The Steelers have also brought in Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson for a top-30 visit. Sampson, a 5-foot-8, 200-pound junior is known for his blazing-fast speed and ability to create plays in open space.

The Steelers have made it a priority to make their running game more explosive this offseason, and bringing in either Sampson or DJ Giddens shows they're determined to round out their backfield with another breakout option, joining Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell.

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