Alabama Pro Day (part deux) gives Dolphins a look at a dual threat player for the first round
The idea of having the Miami Dolphins land Najee Harris with their second pick of the NFL Draft’s first round -- No. 18 overall -- has usually come with the thought the team needs to upgrade its running game.
Miami was, after all, 29th in the league in rush yards per attempt last season and the 3.9 yard per carry average made the Dolphins one of only four teams to average less than 4 yards per carry.
So Najee Harris, right?
He’s a running back. He was Alabama’s starter last year. And he’s arguably the best running back in the draft.
But Tuesday, with Dolphins general manager Chris Grier in attendance, Harris gave teams considering him in the draft another reason to pick him: He has become a truly accomplished receiver.
And the Dolphins need a reliable pass catcher in the backfield if they can get one because #LoadupforTua.
Harris didn’t run a 40-yard dash but did his position drills at the University of Alabama’s second pro day on Tuesday. He also caught a lot of passes.
And it was impressive.
He ran wheel routes
He ran option routes.
He ran seam routes from the slot.
He ran out-and-up routes.
He ran angle routes.
The dude even ran a sluggo (slant and go) lined up as a receiver.
And, yes, Harris ran all the requisite routes out of play action in the backfield as well.
“I didn’t want to run just the basic swings, and the flat arrows and the 5-yard curls,” Harris told the NFL Network. “...You saw me do everything, really, that a wide receiver would do.”
Throughout the drills, in service to quarterback Mac Jones on his second workout for scouts within a week, Harris displayed soft and strong hands. He didn’t double catch passes.
He looked very good.
“In terms of route polish and his ability to do everything in the passing game, to me, he’d be right up there at the top of the list,” NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said of Harris.
And this: Harris rushed for 1,466 yards and averaged 5.8 yards per attempt last season, which is good. But he also caught 43 passes for 425 yards and a 9.9 yard-per-catch average.
In the National Championship Game Harris rushed 22 times for 79 yards and also caught seven passes for 79 yards. He scored three touchdowns that night — two rushing and one receiving.
So in a game dominated by teammate DeVonta Smith, Harris accounted for 168 all-purpose yards and scored three touchdowns.
So Harris offers NFL teams an accomplished runner. But Tuesday’s pro day reminded he has also become an accomplished receiver.
“He’s upped his stock because he is a very good receiver.” said former Auburn coach Gene Chzik, now an analyst for the SEC Network.
And so we’ve reached the key question in this column: Is Harris a viable choice for the Dolphins with the No. 18 overall selection.
Well, drafting a running back that high is lately not en vogue among NFL teams. But you just read the reasons to do exactly that — because he’s a complementary player for the running and passing games.
But the Dolphins, with trader general manager Chris Grier at the helm of the draft, might also consider trading down from No. 18 and still get Harris.
Here’s how it might work: The team to be concerned about coveting Harris is the Pittsburgh Steelers at No 24 overall in the first round.
The Steelers need a lead back.
Harris, at 230 pounds, is their kind of running back.
And No. 24 is about the place where Harris becomes a definite value pick.
That means if the Dolphins have a desire to pick Harris, they might consider trading down as far as No. 22 overall — because Washington (No. 19), Chicago (No. 20), Indianapolis (No. 21) and Tennessee (No. 22) don’t really need a running back.
The Washington Football Team last season drafted 220-pound Antonio Gibson. The Bears have Tarik Cohen and David Montgomery. The Colts wisely drafted Jonathan Taylor last year. The Titans have the NFL’s leading rusher in Derrick Henry.
So the Dolphins could drop and still be relatively certain the Steelers, who have other needs along the offensive line and on defense, probably won’t jump them in order to grab Harris.
Also, look at the rest of the teams remaining at the bottom of the first round. Which need a running back?
Jacksonville at No. 25? Maybe, but they have 1,000-yard rusher James Robinson.
Cleveland at No. 26? Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.
Baltimore at No. 27. They bled talent in free agency and none of it at running back that they valued.
New Orleans at No. 28? Alvin Kamara.
Green Bay at No. 29? Maybe, but Aaron Jones.
Buffalo at No. 30? They’re picking at No. 30. The Dolphins have a lot of work to do, folks.
Anyway, the Bills are going to keep filling in a strong roster, and they truly are in position to draft best player available.
Kansas City at No. 31. They have no one to play offensive tackle right now.
Tampa Bay at No. 32? They re-signed Leonard Fournette.
The coast is clear for the Dolphins to not just get Harris but get him possibly in a trade-down. And they would get an accomplished runner and a pass catcher out of the backfield.
This story was originally published March 30, 2021 at 3:07 PM.
