Rival Views: The immediate impact of Najee Harris to Alabama

Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell and National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney don’t always see eye to eye. In this edition of Rival Views, the two debate whether the No. 1 recruit in the 2017 class, Najee Harris, will immediately take over as a star in Tuscaloosa.

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While Harris has rare abilities unlike many backs we have seen recently, I think the experience he will need to be a star at the college level will come in time. He will need to learn the nuances of the position, especially blocking and patience, under guys like Bo Scarbrough, Damien Harris, Joshua Jacobs and B.J. Emmons.

While I think he will see the field and make an impact at Alabama early and likely surpass guys like Jacobs and Emmons on the depth chart, Scarbrough seems to be coming into his own as a big, physical back, and Harris has a ton of upside and knows the system. Scarbrough has been erratic in his time at Alabama and his inconsistency could be his downfall, while Harris has been bit by the injury bug a bit, so there are a couple openings for Harris in that respect.

But to walk in and take over as a true freshman with an experienced group at running back will be tough under Nick Saban. Jalen Hurts started as a true freshman at quarterback this season under Saban so anything is possible, but give it a year before Harris becomes the go-to guy.

Najee Harris will be the most talented running back on Alabama’s roster from day one, but he needs to buy into the system, take to coaching and then be mistake-free to earn Saban’s trust early on.

I compare Harris to Todd Gurley, but the top-ranked player in the 2017 class is probably more talented at the same stage. If he continues to develop physically in Tuscaloosa – there’s no reason to think he won’t – then Harris could be a star in the SEC. He has the build to be the next Derrick Henry, only faster and more elusive. With his running and pass-catching ability, the five-star could be an incredible addition to Alabama’s offense.

But Harris also needs to show maturity and patience. If Scarbrough is getting more carries or Damien Harris emerges even more or Jacobs becomes a bigger part of the offense or Emmons becomes the feature back, Harris cannot relent. There is a tremendous amount of running back talent at Alabama, and Harris has to persevere and continue developing.

Harris has been a star for years in Northern California and has basically dominated every time he’s been on the football field. He needs to be focused and patient in his career at Alabama, because if he shows off his talent then he’ll be in the NFL. He’s that good, and I suspect he’ll earn playing time early and show just how good he can be.