Najee Harris says ESPN NFL draft analyst can 'kiss my ass' over evaluation
Alabama star Najee Harris has few deficiencies as a running back. He is, after all, considered the top running back prospect in the 2021 NFL draft. But be careful if you're going to call out areas in which Harris needs to improve, because he might tell you to do something profane.
That's precisely what happened when Harris heard a scouting report written by ESPN's Todd McShay. Harris appeared on Adam Schefter's podcast Monday, where he responded to McShay's report by saying, "Todd McShay can kiss my ass."
What did McShay say that made Harris angry? Take a look at McShay's scouting report and see if you can figure it out.
Harris has excellent size and decent top-end speed. He was a much more decisive runner as a senior, showing oily hips for a big back and playing light on his feet. He gets in and out of breaks quickly, has excellent ball security and he’s a slippery runner between the tackles but he has acceleration limitations. Harris showed tremendous improvement as a pass-catcher in 2020 with a big catch radius and an ability to adjust to balls thrown outside his frame. He also shows good aggressiveness in pass pro.
That doesn't seem harsh, but Harris took issue with it. The thing that set Harris off was the comment about his pass catching. Harris told Schefter there weren't many opportunities for Harris to catch passes until last season, so the "improvement" line irked him, according to the New York Post.
“How is he gonna say ‘He showed better production?’ I did not play my freshman or sophomore seasons, rarely, ever. I didn’t have an opportunity to show I could catch. It’s not ’cause I can’t, it’s ’cause I wasn’t in the game to show people I could catch. So let’s just stop looking at the stat sheet and watch the game.”
Najee Harris considered a first-round talent
Harris doesn't have many — if any — deficiencies in his game. Our own Eric Edholm projects Harris to be selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the No. 32 overall pick in the upcoming draft. Harris is likely more talented than the 32nd best player in the draft, but running backs have seen their draft positions drop in recent years.
The Buccaneers might be the perfect landing spot for Harris to prove he always had good hands. Tom Brady likes throwing to his running backs, and the Buccaneers could use a standout offensive player in the backfield.
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