Kenny Pickett, Najee Harris Rankings Will Shock Steelers Fans

An NFL analyst came through with a surprising take regarding the Pittsburgh Steelers' first-round selections of Najee Harris and Kenny Pickett in back-to-back years.

CBS Sports' Mike Renner took a crack at ranking all 191 first-round selections of the 2020s. No Steelers placed within the top third, with only Derrick Harmon (No. 94) and Troy Fautanu (No. 99) finding their way into the top 100.

The most jarring placement as it relates to Pittsburgh, however, was that Renner had Pickett (No. 138) 14 spots higher than Harris at No. 152. Both placed ahead of Broderick Jones at No. 173.

Neither Pickett or Harris panned out as hoped with the Steelers, but it's hard to argue that the former had a more productive stint with the team than the latter.

Why Harris Was a Better Steeler Than Pickett

Brought in during Kevin Colbert's final two drafts as Pittsburgh's general manager, Pickett and Harris were key components of a young core on offense that also included the likes of Pat Freiermuth and George Pickens.

Harris arrived a year earlier than Pickett in 2021 and had the best year of his career, posting a whopping 1,667 yards from scrimmage with 10 touchdowns and earning a Pro Bowl nod along the way.

Pickett came into the fold in 2022 as Ben Roethlisberger's successor and started 12 games as a rookie, going 7-5 over that span with 2,404 passing yards, seven touchdowns and nine interceptions.

That same year, Harris finished with 1,263 yards from scrimmage and once again had 10 touchdowns.

Oct 1, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) hands off to running back Najee Harris (22) during the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Pickett failed to take a step forward during the 2023 campaign, logging 2,070 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions over 12 starts before requesting a trade and ultimately landing with the Philadelphia Eagles the following offseason after Pittsburgh signed Russell Wilson.

Harris, meanwhile, put up a combined 2,531 yards and 14 touchdowns between the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He later signed with the Los Angeles Chargers ahead of the 2025 campaign after the Steelers declined his fifth-year option.

To keep it blunt, there's not really any argument to be made for Pickett being a better first-round pick than Harris.

Perhaps positional value played a role in Renner's thought process, but Pickett never resembled a starting-caliber quarterback during his time in Pittsburgh.

Part of the blame goes towards offensive coordinator Matt Canada, though Pickett obviously can't be exonerated either.

Harris wasn't the most efficient running back in the world for the Steelers, averaging 3.9 yards per carry and 4.3 yards per touch, though he was still a quality No. 1 option at the position who did nothing but put up solid numbers.

While he wasn't a slam-dunk pick, Harris inarguably was a better investment for Pittsburgh than Pickett was.

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