It used to be, that going into the NFL Draft the question wasn’t, “Will a running back be taken in the first round?” but “How many?”
And if you think that’s Baby Boomer or Generation X nostalgia, consider that in the 2008 NFL Draft, 5 running backs went in the first round, followed by 3 over the next two years, which maintained the historical average.
Times have changed.
When the Steelers took Najee Harris in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, eyes rolled and critics charged that Kevin Colbert was behind the times. They might have been on to something. The Steelers let Harris go without a fight in free agency.
But the 2025 NFL Draft is said to be running back rich, and the running game is seeing a bit of a resurgence in the NFL. So might Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin draft another running back in the first round here in 2025?
Former Friends: Robert Spillane tries to tackle Jaylen Warren. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com
Steelers Depth Cart at Running Back: The Starter
One of the reasons why the Steelers were so willing to let Najee Harris leave in free agency is because Jaylen Warren has been waiting in the wings. Warren first made the Steelers roster as part of the 2022 undrafted rookie free agent class, where he won the third-down back role in training camp.
During his first two years Warren played well enough that both fans and press to call for him to start over Harris, particularly in the early going of the 2022 and 2023 seasons when Harris suffered from slow starts.
In 3 years with the Steelers Jaylen Warren has proven himself to be a running back who hits holes decisively. And, while it doesn’t get talked about much, Warren has proven to be an effective pass catcher capable of transforming check down passes into far bigger gains.
The Steelers gave Warren a restricted free agent tender that kept him with the team, giving him what amounts to a “prove it year.”
And Warren does have something to prove. He’s never had more than 15 carries in a game, and he’s got an alarmingly high fumble rate.
Steelers Running Back Depth Chart: The Backups
Cordarrelle Patterson heads up the Steelers depth chart at running back behind Jaylen Warren. Yes, that’s right, Patterson remains on the Steelers roster, surprisingly, as he was expected to be a cap casualty. Patterson only had 32 carries in 2024, but he ran extremely well in limited duty in the win against the Raiders and the loss to the Colts.
The Steelers signed Kenneth Gainwell in free agency. Gainwell had 3 strong years with the Eagles as a third down back, although his production did slip in his 4th season. Still, he brings 66 games, 280 carries, 102 catches of experience to Pittsburgh.
Also on the roster were Jonathan Ward and Aaron Shampklin who were practice squanders for the Steelers in 2024 and saw spot duty. Rounding out the group is Evan Hull, who spent 2023 and 2024 on the Colts’ practice squad getting into one game, for one carry and one yard. But, according to Steel City Insider’s Roy Countryman, Hull has legitimate “upside” as “an explosive runner (4.47 40) with quick feet who does not shy away from contact.”
The Steelers 2023 Draft Needs @ Running Back
Arthur Smith is an offensive coordinator he believes in the ground game. When he was at Tennessee under Mike Vrabel, it was often said that he ran a “Bill Cowher-style offense.”
- The Pittsburgh’s running back room is not ready to meet that standard.
Jaylen Warren has flashed he can be a legitimate NFL RB Number 1, but he hasn’t proven it. And as Mike Tomlin seems to be open to doing something other than rushing his running backs “until the wheels fall off” the Steelers need to add a starter-capable running back.
Neither Gainwell nor Patterson fit that bill, the Steelers needs at running back going into the 2025 NFL Draft must be considered High.
