What College did Najee Harris go to? Exploring the Steelers RB's College Football Stats & Draft Class

Najee Harris attended the University of Alabama from 2017 to 2020, coached by the legendary Nick Saban. Harris was recruited out of Antioch High School, where he built a reputation as one of, if not the best, recruits from his high school class.

Harris received offers from the cream of the college football crop. Offers came in from the Alabama Crimson Tide, Ohio State Buckeyes, USC Trojans, and Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The Martinez, California native ultimately chose the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Here, we will be looking at his college career, how he performed, and his stacked draft class.

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Najee Harris' College Football Timeline and Stats

Najee Harris joined the Alabama Crimson Tide for the 2017 college season and entered a stacked running back room. This included Damien Harris, Bo Scarbrough, and Josh Jacobs. As is the custom in Alabama, the freshman took the least of the carries.

That didn't stop him from posting a decent stat line of 61 rush attempts, 370 yards, and three touchdowns. He also helped the Crimson Tide to a 26–23 National Championship victory over the Georgia Bulldogs.

Entering his second year with the Crimson Tide, Najee Harris was third on the running back depth chart behind Damien Harris and Jacobs. Harris once again appeared in every game for the season, though he was a backup option in the backfield.

However, his talents could not be ignored, as he took a step up in productivity for the season. He finished the season with 117 rushing attempts, 783 yards, and four rushing touchdowns.

Najee Harris entered his third season with the Alabama Crimson Tide as the undisputed starter at the running back position. Damien Harris and Josh Jacobs had left for the NFL at that point. Alongside Brian Robinson Jr., Harris formed one of the most lethal backfields in the college football scene.

He helped lead the Crimson Tide to a Citrus Bowl win, putting in 136 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the 35–16 victory over Michigan University. Harris put up a stat line of 209 rushing attempts, 1,224 running yards, and 13 rushing touchdowns. He also stepped up in the receiving department with 304 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns.

Contrary to most analysts' beliefs, Najee Harris returned to the Crimson Tide for his fourth college season rather than declare for the 2020 NFL draft. He returned for his senior season at Alabama and helped the team win the national championship over Ohio State University.

He finished his college career as the overall leader in rushing yards (3,843), scrimmage yards (4,624), and all-purpose touchdowns (57) for the Crimson Tide.

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The 1st Round of the 2021 NFL Draft

Here is the stacked first round of the 2021 National Football League Draft:

1. Jacksonville Jaguars – Trevor Lawrence, Quarterback
2. New York Jets – Zach Wilson, Quarterback
3. San Francisco 49ers (from HOU through MIA) – Trey Lance, Quarterback
4. Atlanta Falcons – Kyle Pitts, Tight End
5. Cincinnati Bengals – Ja’Marr Chase, Wide Receiver
6. Miami Dolphins (from PHI) – Jaylen Waddle, Wide Receiver
7. Detroit Lions – Penei Sewell, Offensive Tackle
8. Carolina Panthers – Jaycee Horn, Cornerback
9. Denver Broncos – Patrick Surtain II, Cornerback
10. Philadelphia Eagles (from DAL) – DeVonta Smith, Wide Receiver
11. Chicago Bears (from NYG) – Justin Fields, Quarterback
12. Dallas Cowboys (from PHI through SF, MIA) – Micah Parsons, Linebacker
13. LA Chargers – Rashawn Slater, Offensive Tackle
14. New York Jets (from MIN) – Alijah Vera-Tucker, Offensive Linebacker,
15. New England Patriots – Mac Jones, Quarterback
16. Arizona Cardinals – Zaven Collins, Linebacker
17. Las Vegas Raiders – Alex Leatherwood, Offensive Tackle
18. Miami Dolphins – Jaelan Phillips, Defensive End
19. Washington Football Team – Jamin Davis, Linebacker
20. New York Giants (from CHI) – Kadarius Toney, Wide Receiver
21. Indianapolis Colts – Kwity Paye, Defensive End
22. Tennessee Titans – Caleb Farley, Cornerback
23. Minnesota Vikings (from NYJ through SEA) – Christian Darrisaw, Offensive Tackle
24. Pittsburgh Steelers – Najee Harris, Running Back
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (from LAR) – Travis Etienne, Running Back
26. Cleveland Browns – Greg Newsome II, Cornerback
27. Baltimore Ravens – Rashod Bateman, Wide Receiver
28. New Orleans Saints – Payton Turner, Defensive End
29. Green Bay Packers – Eric Stokes, Cornerback
30. Buffalo Bills – Gregory Rousseau, Defensive End
31. Baltimore Ravens (from KC) – Jayson Oweh, Defensive End
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Joe Tryon, Linebacker