NFL insider notes: Rookie Najee Harris will carry Steelers offense on his back if that's what is needed

Steelers' first-round RB is the real deal, plus Jackson's absence stalling Ravens

Sometimes, you need only spend a few hours around a football team for certain individuals to stand out. One afternoon is enough to cement a strong impression. A rookie looks like a veteran. It's about as close to can't miss as possible. Najee Harris fits that description. He is going to be a thing in the NFL in 2021, and he is going to be a thing from Week 1. It won't always be perfect, and given the makeup of this offensive line the Alabama standout may often have to do more with less in ways he rarely if ever experienced at that college football factory. But his mind and body are up to the challenge, and I foresee Harris becoming the face of an offense very much in transition and a stalwart in the Pittsburgh community. This kid is special in more ways than one. His star power, on and off the field, is real. "So far he is doing everything we had hoped he could be able to do," said general manager Kevin Colbert, not one to throw around abundant platitudes about rookies, especially after only a few padded practices. "He's very conscientious , a hard worker, a quick study. "We had heard all of that, but until you witness it you never know. But he has bene exceedingly diligent in his effort and willingness to get better. He's very talented and I see the want to. We're excited to see him play." Repeatedly, Harris has been trapped behind the line of scrimmage, flooded by defenders. The Steelers defense is elite and it's offensive line has been a hodgepodge to this point on a team that could be looking at five new starters from a year ago, and one already dealing with plenty of bumps and bruises early in camp. Harris seems to relish the opportunity to shine even when the numbers are stacked against him and there is no discernable hole and he has to invent something out of nothing on the fly. "Not every play is going to be blocked," he said, beaming the entire time with an infectious smile in what's become a bit of a mantra for him. Harris believes it is his duty to beat the first man he sees, no matter the situation, and find a way to salvage the play. It's his responsibility to "create" whenever the ball is in his hands ... And for all of the talk about a reborn Ben Roethlisberger, Harris is going to see an awful lot of the football. "The line is what it is," Harris said. "My job is to do everything I can on every run to help my team." He managed to slither away from the immense grasp of defensive lineman Cam Heyward on one memorable run from the weekend, turning a 5-yard loss into a substantial enough gain down the sidelines. Burly Steelers defenders, reticent to throw bouquets at fellow top picks like rookie tight end Pat Freiermuth (or even call him by his name "the little tight end who might be something special," as Heyward referred to him), are gushing over their new feature back after being the league's worst rushing team a year ago. "That was one thing I really loved about him, even at the college level," Heyward said of the ability to turn nothing into something. "No matter what the offensive line gave him, he's able to fight for positive yards. Obviously, we don't want to let that happen, but to see that guy fall forward a lot for us is a positive sign for us." The running backs in this division bear monitoring. Nick Chubb just got his extension to secure him to the Browns, Joe Mixon, one suspects, can't suffer a serious injury for a third straight year, and the hype about JK Dobbins seeing a ton of the ball and being featured in the passing game in Year 2 is very real. Harris will end up mentioned in the same breath as all of them.