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

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.

With the 24th pick in the #NFLDraft, we select RB Najee Harris. #SteelersDraft pic.twitter.com/uKyA7FqK0e

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) April 30, 2021

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.

@ohthatsNajee22 Najee, welcome to Pittsburgh! Running backs can make the difference.

— Franco Harris (@francoharrishof) April 30, 2021

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!

Middle name Jerome...last name Harris. @ohthatsNajee22 was born to play for the @steelers. #HereWeGo 📸: @CBSSports pic.twitter.com/kYdYK5ifts

— Jerome Bettis (@JeromeBettis36) April 30, 2021

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

A defenses best friend is a good running game! Man let’s go @ohthatsNajee22

— Cam Heyward (@CamHeyward) April 30, 2021

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?

Just about every mock draft had Alabama RB Najee Harris going to the Steelers at 24....and he went to the Steelers at 24.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 30, 2021

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.

It's Really Not Hard To Understand Why The Steelers Took Najee Harris If You Use Your Brain For More Than 5 Seconds https://t.co/0CCxhb4Cwb pic.twitter.com/79KDrSfOI6

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) April 30, 2021

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.

Najee Harris is a start, but Steelers have more work to do to fix the running game #Steelers https://t.co/oVXA5iR6Pu pic.twitter.com/Uxv4nbj9e9

— Blitzburgh ✨ (@RenegadeBlitz) April 30, 2021