It's hard to imagine the Pittsburgh Steelers being successful without being able to run the ball well. January football demands it, and with mediocre quarterback play a near certainty, it will be a necessary point of emphasis on next year's offense.
Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith was tasked with fixing the ground game in 2024. While his quarterbacks exceeded expectations, his running backs didn't.
Now, veteran running back Najee Harris is headed to unrestricted free agency, forcing the Steelers to make a series of critical decisions related to the fate of the backfield.
Pittsburgh will once again have the opportunity to draft a running back in Round 1, as they did with Harris. But an incredible class of running backs might make that a lesser priority come April.
That process will continue in Indianapolis, where the football world will convene for the Underwear Olympics and another set of medicals, interviews, and workouts. Four running backs stand out for Steelers fans to watch at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Notably, Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty isn't one of them. The projected top back in the class (and a likely first-round pick), Jeanty announced that he won't be doing drills, and he presumably won't be running, either. He'll meet with teams and do medicals but save the fun for Boise State's Pro Day.
North Carolina's Omarion Hampton, though, might be the next-best bet to go in Round 1, which aligns nicely with Pittsburgh's 21st pick. With enough speed to break off big plays, elite contact balance, and a combination of vision and burst that will earn him early reps, Hampton is one of the safest bets to be a solid starter – without sacrificing upside as a runner.
A more frequent mock draft target is Iowa's Kaleb Johnson. He can officially put long-speed concerns to rest with a good time on Indianapolis' fast track. Like Hampton, he's a physical runner, and he was incredibly efficient in 2024, carving up the Big 10 for 6.4 yards per attempt.
There's some meat left on the bone of his abilities in the passing game, and rolling the dice on his size/speed/strength profile in Round 2 could solve several of the Steelers' issues on the ground.
If Pittsburgh waits for Day 3, complementary backs with starting upside will be waiting for them. The most interesting might be Arizona State's Cam Skattebo. Introduced to the national audience in a heroic College Football Playoff effort, Skattebo is incredibly dense and surprisingly elusive.
He's short and shouldn't run particularly fast in his 40-yard dash, but Skattebo's power and passing-game utility will earn him an NFL role. Given how much of his game is predicated on power, he'll have to impress both on the scale and on the track to check the box as a back worth starting from the jump.
Lastly, Kansas' Devin Neal is among the most entertaining backs in college football. If Pittsburgh doubles down on big-play threats, Neal could find himself bouncing around behind the line of scrimmage.
Neal is twitchy for his size with strong fundamentals and has a knack for breaking off big runs. He lacks the early-round pedigree of some of his peers, but that shouldn't stop him from making an immediate NFL impact.
