Steelers 2021 NFL Draft odds: Pittsburgh reportedly targeting running back Najee Harris with No. 24 overall pick

A bit more than 48 hours until the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft kicks off Thursday night from Cleveland, and the rumors are flying all over the place. Most times, it's more smoke than fire, but the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport is reporting that most people he has spoken with believe the Pittsburgh Steelers will take Alabama running back Najee Harris with the No. 24 pick Thursday. Harris is given an Over/Under draft position of 28.5 (both -115) at William Hill Sportsbook.

That the Steelers are targeting a running back fairly early in this draft is not a surprise after letting James Conner walk in free agency. The Pittsburgh depth chart right now at the position is Benny Snell, Anthony McFarland Jr., free-agent addition Kalen Ballage and Jaylen Samuels. That's just not good enough.

Harris was a monster last year for the national champion Tide, named unanimous All-American and winning the Doak Walker Award after leading the nation with 1,891 scrimmage yards (1,446 on the ground) and setting an SEC record with 30 scrimmage TDs (26 rushing were second-most in SEC history). Harris' 57 career scrimmage TDs are tied with Tim Tebow for most in SEC history. Harris is the -170 favorite to be the first running back drafted this year at William Hill with Clemson's Travis Etienne next at +150.

Pittsburgh took McFarland out of Maryland in the fourth round last year, but he had just 113 yards on 33 carries along with six catches for 54 yards in 11 games. The Steelers got a steal with Le'Veon Bell in Round 2 in 2013 but haven't taken a first-round RB since Rashard Mendenhall at No. 23 overall out of Illinois in 2008.

William Hill offers a prop on the exact position of the player the Steelers take with their first pick, no matter where it is, and running back is a -110 favorite. SportsLine's RJ White has Pittsburgh taking Notre Dame offensive lineman Liam Eichenberg at No. 24. An offensive lineman is a +250 second favorite on this prop.

No matter where the Steelers take a tailback, don't expect him to be in Pittsburgh for the long haul. According to the NFL Network's Aditi Kinkhabwala, the last running back the team drafted in any round who finished his rookie deal and then signed a multi-year contract with the team was the unmemorable Verron Haynes. He was a 2002 fifth-round pick who played with the Steelers through 2007 and totaled 174 carries for the club.

There is a pretty good chance that Pittsburgh will have its choice of running backs at No. 24 as teams simply don't value them as highly any longer in the draft. The first running back taken last year was Clyde Edwards-Helaire at No. 32 by Kansas City. The first tailback chosen in 2019 was at No. 24 overall, Alabama's Josh Jacobs by the Raiders. 

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