Najee Harris May Be Called Upon to Fill the Void Left by T.J. Watt's Injury

The second-round pick was widely viewed as one of the top defensive prospects in the 2017 NFL Draft class, but he went under the radar with pass rushers Myles Garrett and Solomon Thomas going first and third overall, respectively. Harris has proven to be an elite talent, though, as he racked up 12 tackles for loss and six sacks as a rookie last season. The Steelers are losing that kind of production with Watt out for an extended period of time, so Harris will need to step up if Pittsburgh wants to compete for the AFC North crown this season.

Watt was a top-10 NFL draft pick

Watt was the 25th overall pick in this year's NFL draft and has made an immediate impact on the Steelers defense, recording six tackles and two sacks in his first three games before leaving Sunday's victory over Kansas City with a pec injury. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters after the game that he expects to know more about Watt's injury on Monday, but also that second-year linebacker James Harrison is prepared to step up if called upon.

A third-year player, Watt had 30 tackles, 5 sacks and 7 forced fumbles in 2017

Harris, a third-year player, had 30 tackles, 5 sacks and 7 forced fumbles in 2017. He is considered an excellent pass rusher with a high motor who has shown flashes of talent on blitzes as well. But like Watt before him, Harris is undersized and might have difficulty stopping the run against bigger linemen if they can out-flank him at the snap of the ball.

The younger brother of J.J. Watt, Texans defensive end, is expected to undergo surgery on his left shoulder

Born in 1994, Najee Harris attended Brownwood High School in Brownwood, Texas and played football for the Bears from 2012-2016 before transferring to Wheeler High School for his senior year. In a game against Sweeny High School on September 12, 2016, he recorded a sack and a forced fumble that was returned for a touchdown in a 36-14 victory.

Surgery is scheduled this week

The Steelers won't have their leading tackler from a year ago on Sunday when they face off against Tennessee, which is already starting former Bengals LB Kevin Minter. Instead, they'll be calling on Najee Harris and others to fill Watt's void.

He may be placed on injured reserve

If, in fact, Watt has a tear in his pec muscle then he will most likely be placed on injured reserve for eight weeks and will be shut down for the remainder of the season. He would only have a chance at playing again if his injury allowed him time to heal up and suit up at some point later in the season or if Pittsburgh was eliminated from playoff contention altogether.

His absence will force other players to step up their game

This is not the best time for a P1 defender to be sidelined, but T.J will have surgery and recover as quickly as possible so he can return in time for next season. His absence will force other players to step up their game and without them we'll struggle on defense all year long. Let's hope all goes well with his recovery so he can help us out next year because this team needs him back!

Najee Harris Could Be the Answer to T.J. Watt's Injury

One of the biggest questions surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers heading into the 2018 NFL season is how they will recover from the loss of their star linebacker, T.J. Watt, who tore his ACL in a training camp practice this past week and will miss an extended period of time as he recovers from surgery.

How do we get over our initial reluctance?

When it comes time to propose something new or push forward an idea, often times our instinct is to first weigh the risks of failure and what may happen if things don't go as planned. While that may be a natural reaction, it is not the correct one. Businesses succeed by rolling with the punches and finding opportunities in every setback.

Before You Start, Do Some Research

Earlier this week, linebacker TJ Watt was carted off of the field after suffering a severe leg injury during practice. And while many are mourning his loss and searching for answers, it would appear that they've found a possible replacement in Alabama running back Najee Harris. According to Sports Illustrated's Andrew Greif, UAB coach Bill Clark says that There’s nobody on Earth that can touch him.

Do Not Chase After Popularity

Though it may seem like a quick way to get instant attention, chasing after popularity is not always a good thing. Make sure you are fully confident in what you're doing before releasing your product into the world.

Find a Niche Where You Can Excel

So, where can Najeef contribute? In my opinion, we should try and see if he can thrive as a pass rusher. A fresh body coming off the edge would make for a deadly combo with Clay Matthews and Ryan Kerrigan in passing situations. With such little experience on defense, why not try this idea out in preseason? The worst thing that could happen is that he struggles and we have no other options on defense (probably)

Practice and Improve Constantly

This is a perfect example of how individual players don't matter as much as team play, and although one player may be unable to continue playing, another person has the opportunity to shine. In this case, you never know who will end up being a valuable player or star until they get on the field or court. So even if your season was terrible and filled with injury, there is always an opportunity for someone else to step up in their place and prove their worth for next season.

Don’t Give Up

T.J. Watt played a vital role in Pittsburgh’s defense for their first four games of the season, accumulating seven tackles and two sacks before going down with an injury on Sunday against Minnesota. He was forced out of his early-season showing with a lower back issue, but his latest setback is far more severe: during pregame warmups on Sunday, he injured his right knee and will miss significant time as a result.