One of the reasons that Pittsburgh Steelers fans in particular may be gun-shy about drafting a running back in the first round, as reflected following their doing so in 2021 with Najee Harris, is the fact that they tried that before. And it could have gone better, on multiple fronts.
2008 first-round pick Rashard Mendenhall was a very talented running back, and he had some very solid seasons for the team. His running style, however, did not mesh with the formulation of the offensive line at the time. And his personality—and expressed opinions—have at times come under a negative spotlight.