NFL Draft 2021: Twitter reacts to the Pittsburgh Steelers selecting Najee Harris

Published Apr 30, 2021 21:05 GMT

The Pittsburgh Steelers fanbase was a happy bunch after the team selected Alabama running Najee Harris with the 24th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft.

The reaction from Steelers fans was a mix of excitement as well as shock. The Steelers have historically focused on defense in the first round of the draft. So picking a running back, a position they desperately needed to address, was a bit of a surprise for everyone alike.

Twitter reacts to the Pittsburgh Steelers picking Najee Harris in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft

NFL Hall of Famer and Steelers great Franco Harris was among the first to send his congratulations and welcome Najee Harris to Pittsburgh.

Another Steelers great, Jerome Bettis, welcomed Harris to the Steelers running back family and then followed up with a tweet about how it was meant to be!

Steelers defensive end Cam Heyward was also excited by the team's first-round draft choice.

For Najee Harris, having Steelers greats and current stars welcoming him will be a big confidence booster and something that should help him feel like part of the organization right from the start.

Harris was a predictable pick by the Steelers. But considering their lack of running game and the struggles the team faced at the end of last season, predictability was a necessity. If the Steelers hadn't filled the need, then what would that have said about their outlook for the 2021 season?

Najee Harris has all the qualifications to be a starting running back for one of the most storied franchises in the NFL. Having played at the University of Alabama, there's no doubt that the pressure to perform at a high level is something that he is capable of doing.

Drafting a running back like Najee Harris is a big step in the right direction. But the Steelers still have other needs that must be addressed during this year's draft.

The next position the Steelers have to address is the offensive line. Protecting Ben Roethlisberger will be key to the team's success in what is most likely the veteran quarterback's final season in the NFL.

About the author

Bethany Cohen is an NFL writer at Sportskeeda, with a rich prior 15-year experience in the sports writing industry, primarily covering the MLB and MiLB. She majored in Communications from the University of South Florida and has previously worked for top companies such as Examiner.com and Legends on Deck.

Bethany owes her NFL allegiance to the Pittsburgh Steelers owing to their long-standing tradition and competitiveness. She is a fan of old stalwarts such as Terry Bradshaw and Franco Harris and would love to watch them in the 1970s if she manages to get her hand on a time machine. She also acknowledges the greatness of modern icons like T.J. Watt for his desire to continuously improve despite being on top. She admires coaches Mike Tomlin and Andy Reid for their longevity and success.

The ace reporter credits her knowledge and love for the sport to be her biggest reporting strengths. Prior fact-checking is a big component of her process and she always scours through additional sources to ensure complete accuracy in her content.

Super Bowl XLIII, when the Steelers won the the grand prize after Santonio Holmes’ epic catch in the end zone with just seconds left on the clock is etched in Bethany’s memory forever. When she is free of her professional commitments, she likes to attend sports events and music concerts.

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