Patriots Draft RB Damien Harris After Selecting Sony Michel in 1st Round of 2018

The New England Patriots selected Alabama running back Damien Harris with the 87th overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft on Friday night in Nashville, Tennessee. 

Damien Harris NFL Draft 2019: Scouting Report, Grade for Patriots Rookie

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Many thought it was an example of the rich getting richer.

Harris is the latest Crimson Tide product to go off the board—and for good reason. The former 5-star recruit posted two 1,000-yard rushing seasons at Alabama as a sophomore and junior. As a senior in 2018, Harris shared the 'Bama backfield with Najee Harris, Josh Jacobs and Brian Robinson Jr.

Ahead of the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, NFL.com gave Harris a grade of 5.79, which means the site believes he has a chance of becoming a starter. At the combine, Harris ran the 40-yard dash in 4.57 seconds and posted 16 reps in bench press.

At the beginning of the month, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller ranked Harris as the draft's fourth-best back and listed his pro comparison as former Baltimore Ravens running back Alex Collins: 

"Harris has some traits that make you sit up in your chair, but he lacks the burst and wiggle that teams want outside the tackle box. He might top out as a rotational back if not drafted into a system that values interior rushing yardage. What he offers as a third-down back makes him a potential value in Rounds 2-3."

Harris is 5'10" and 216 pounds, so it will be interesting to see how his running style translates to the pros. With the Patriots, Harris will share a backfield with James White and Sony Michel. Michel, a first-round pick in 2018, ran for 931 yards and six touchdowns in the regular season and added another 336 yards and six scores in the playoffs as a rookie.

By adding Harris to the offense, the running game may be an even greater area of emphasis for New England in 2019.