Damien Harris:
If you aren’t aware by now, I’ll go ahead and make this perfectly clear: I love Alabama’s Damien Harris and I think the Baltimore Ravens would be wise to add him to their backfield with Lamar Jackson.
Harris is the complete package. The 5’11” 215-lbs. running back was incredibly productive and comes to the NFL fresher than most of his kind with the Crimson Tide. Harris finished his four-year stint in Tuscaloosa with two 1,000-yard seasons and 25 total touchdowns. Harris is also a two-time CFP National Champion and a clear leader of the locker room. Everything you want from a running back, Harris has it.
Harris has seen his draft stock fall lately, but not to his fault. His teammate, Joshua Jacobs, has seen a unprecedented rise in his draft stock and Harris simply isn’t as flashy as others in this draft class. This will work to Baltimore’s favor, as 22nd overall is too high for the soon-to-be 22-year old, but his value in rounds three-to-four is ideal, considering the Ravens don’t own a second round pick.
Baltimore loves consistency out of their running backs, and no back in college football provides the steady play that Damien Harris delivers. Harris’ career 6.4 YPC is evident of a player who gets the most of the talent around him, and he certainly had plenty of that at Alabama. But best yet is his lack of mileage. In four seasons with Alabama, Harris had less than 500 career carries, but still managed 3,070 career rushing yards. What Harris accomplished with so little touches is astounding and speaks volumes to his game.
With a cheap price tag and a downhill running mentality, the Baltimore Ravens would be insane to pass on the young man in late day two, early day three. Harris and Lamar Jackson would give the team so much youth in the back-field and for next to nothing on the salary cap. Add those two with another cheap asset like Gus Edwards and you have the perfect backfield.