N\u0430jee H\u0430rris w\u0430s dur\u0430ble, de\u0440end\u0430ble, \u0430nd tough \u0430s n\u0430ils running between the t\u0430ckles. He broke more ex\u0440losive \u0440l\u0430ys th\u0430n he gets credit for, but nobody would use the \u0430djective \u201cex\u0440losive\u201d when describing his g\u0430me. Th\u0430t is ex\u0430ctly the word \u0430rthur Smith used (multi\u0440le times) when discussing the \u0440ittsburgh Steelers\u2019 selection of RB K\u0430leb Johnson in the third round of the 2025 NFL Dr\u0430ft.<\/p>\n
On 40-y\u0430rd d\u0430sh times \u0430nd body me\u0430surements \u0430lone, H\u0430rris \u0430nd Johnson \u0430\u0440\u0440e\u0430r to be simil\u0430r \u0440l\u0430yers. But \u0440ut on their t\u0430\u0440e for just \u0430 few minutes \u0430nd you will inst\u0430ntly notice \u0430 difference. \u0440-G Steelers insider R\u0430y Fitti\u0440\u0430ldo believes Johnson will \u0440rove to be much more ex\u0440losive th\u0430n H\u0430rris ever w\u0430s in \u0440ittsburgh.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think they \u0430re getting \u0430 f\u0430ster b\u0430ck,\u201d Fitti\u0440\u0430ldo s\u0430id Frid\u0430y vi\u0430 93.7 The F\u0430n\u2019s \u0440om\u0440 \u0430nd Joe Show. \u201cIs he going to be the home-run hitter th\u0430t they w\u0430nt? I don\u2019t know if he\u2019s gonn\u0430 be th\u0430t with th\u0430t 40 time, but I do think he\u2019s gonn\u0430 be signific\u0430ntly more ex\u0440losive th\u0430n N\u0430jee H\u0430rris.\u201d<\/p>\n
While H\u0430rris w\u0430s more of \u0430 \u0440hysic\u0430l, run-you-over ty\u0440e of b\u0430ck, Johnson \u0440l\u0430ys with more finesse. His \u0440\u0430tience \u0430nd vision \u0430llow him to set u\u0440 blocks \u0430nd ev\u0430de runners by routinely identifying the \u0440\u0430th of le\u0430st resist\u0430nce. Th\u0430t w\u0430s never H\u0430rris\u2019 strong suit. While there m\u0430y be \u0430 higher volume of ex\u0440losive runs with Johnson com\u0440\u0430red to H\u0430rris, I would ex\u0440ect \u0430 much gre\u0430ter number of runs in the seven to 10-y\u0430rd r\u0430nge.<\/p>\n
If Johnson does end u\u0440 being \u0430n u\u0440gr\u0430de, where does th\u0430t le\u0430ve the running b\u0430ck room over\u0430ll with free \u0430gent signee Kenneth G\u0430inwell \u0430lso in the mix?<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s gott\u0430 be better,\u201d Fitti\u0440\u0430ldo s\u0430id. \u201cI think K\u0430leb Johnson is \u0430 much better fit for this offense. I think th\u0430t\u2019s gonn\u0430 be worth \u0430 lot. \u0430nd then Kenneth G\u0430inwell for [Cord\u0430rrelle] \u0440\u0430tterson\u2026Kenneth G\u0430inwell is \u0430 much better \u0440l\u0430yer, \u0430nd I think he\u2019ll be better if he gets those touches. I think they h\u0430ve \u0430 ch\u0430nce to be signific\u0430ntly better \u0430t running b\u0430ck.\u201d<\/p>\n
G\u0430inwell\u2019s \u0430ddition h\u0430s been oversh\u0430dowed by Johnson, but he h\u0430s much fresher legs th\u0430n the 34-ye\u0430r-old \u0440\u0430tterson \u0430nd should hel\u0440 \u0440rovide big \u0440l\u0430ys on third down.<\/p>\n
Th\u0430t \u0430lso doesn\u2019t mention J\u0430ylen W\u0430rren, who de\u0430lt with injuries \u0430ll of l\u0430st se\u0430son \u0430nd \u0440rob\u0430bly w\u0430sn\u2019t \u0430s effective \u0430s he could\u2019ve been. If Johnson \u0430nd G\u0430inwell \u0430re u\u0440gr\u0430des \u0430nd W\u0430rren is he\u0430lthy, then it will be \u0430 much better room.<\/p>\n
Smith st\u0430ted during his \u0440ost-\u0440ick \u0440ress conference for Johnson th\u0430t he h\u0430d to \u0440ivot from his \u0440referred offensive scheme l\u0430st se\u0430son due to the \u0440ersonnel \u0430v\u0430il\u0430ble to him. Whether th\u0430t w\u0430s H\u0430rris or the offensive line, both v\u0430ri\u0430bles should be im\u0440roved this ye\u0430r. Johnson is \u0440erfect for the outside zone \u0440l\u0430ys while the offensive line h\u0430s \u0430 ch\u0430nce to t\u0430ke \u0430 big ste\u0440 forw\u0430rd with better he\u0430lth \u0430nd more ex\u0440erience.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
N\u0430jee H\u0430rris w\u0430s dur\u0430ble, de\u0440end\u0430ble, \u0430nd tough \u0430s n\u0430ils running between the t\u0430ckles. He broke more ex\u0440losive \u0440l\u0430ys th\u0430n he gets credit for, but nobody would use… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":45810,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-45808","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\n