He is excited to see what Patrick Surtain II does as a junior, but Daniel Jeremiah is more so intrigued by what he could see from Najee Harris in the upcoming fall.
As a former scout for the Ravens, Browns and Eagles of the National Football League and current analyst for NFL Network, Jeremiah is in a series of evaluations on the top prospects that will enter the 2021 NFL Draft. He went on YouTube to describe the “3 Terms” session he is doing, where Jeremiah breaks down each player with three scouting terms.
Harris, a running back at Alabama, was first and his terms were patience, contact balance and smooth.
Hailing from Antioch, Calif., Harris chose the Crimson Tide in the 2017 recruiting cycle as a five-star athlete.
The 6-foot-2, 230-pounder had some strong moments as a freshman and sophomore; however, he came into his own last year.
During the middle of the 2019 season, Harris grew to be more aggressive and Nick Saban trusted him more. He ended up with his first career 1,000-yard rushing campaign (1,224) and totaled 13 touchdowns on 209 carries.
RELATED: Alabama RB Najee Harris named to 2020 Doak Walker Award watch list
Harris recorded six 100-yard performances – including four versus Southeastern Conference schools, while catching 27 passes for 304 receiving yards with seven scores.
He has been selected as a preseason candidate for the Doak Walker Award (nation’s top back) and is training with former Auburn player Brad Lester to become even faster. Should he be able to put it all together at his position, Harris will conclude his senior year with some individual awards and a first-round draft grade.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
