Football

Noah Herron knows about waiting for his chance.

He had to wait three years, including two years as Jason Wright’s backup, before taking over as the primary tailback during his senior year at Northwestern.

And last weekend, Herron realized waiting is sometimes the hardest part, as he watched his television and saw draft picks pass without hearing his name.

With only 12 picks remaining in the NFL draft, Herron received the call. He was going to be picked by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the seventh round.

“It was hard, probably one of the hardest things I had to go through,” said Herron, who thought he would be drafted anywhere between the third round and fifth round.

Herron said the Dallas Cowboys had said they might pick him in the fourth round. But the Cowboys opted for another Big Ten running back, Minnesota’s Marion Barber.

So he waited and saw nine more running backs come off the board, including Michigan State’s DeAndra Cobb and Wisconsin’s Anthony Davis.

When the seventh round began, Herron thought he might go undrafted and began thinking about having to be signed as a free agent.

But with pick No. 244, Pittsburgh selected the Wildcats’ fifth-leading rusher in school history, reuniting Herron with NU teammate Trai Essex, who was picked in the third round by the Steelers.

“It felt good,” Herron said. ” I was disappointed throughout the day … but I’m just happy I was drafted and going to Pittsburgh.”

Herron’s weakness according to NFL scouts was his speed. At the NFL Combine, he ran a 4.60 40-yard dash, which was ranked in the lower half of the running backs at the combine. But his 4.03 20-yard shuttle time and 3.96 three-cone drill were among the best, and Herron said he considered them just as important because they were more specific to his position.

He said the pre-draft workouts combined with his breakout senior year and solid performance at the Senior Bowl in January helped the one-year starter get on the map.

“Usually you need two solid years to be a major prospect, and I didn’t have a big junior campaign,” Herron said. “But my big senior year helped me earn my way into the upper level of players and get exposed nationally.”

In his final season with the Cats, Herron rushed for 1,381 yards (115.1 per game), along with 14 touchdowns. In the Senior Bowl, he rushed for only 17 yards but caught two passes for 40 yards, including a 22-yard touchdown.

It was this versatility, more than just his rushing ability, that drew the attention of scouts.

“The coaches said I cause mismatches,” Herron said. “I have the ability to run or catch — or just catch period.”

The Steelers plan to use him in a variety of ways. Herron said he will learn both the tailback and fullback positions.

His ability to play both positions gives him a better shot to make the roster, especially since Pittsburgh has two veteran tailbacks with Jerome Bettis and Duce Staley.

With tough competition in the offensive backfield, Herron might have to play his way onto the roster by playing special teams. He said he doesn’t mind special teams and played it up until his senior season at NU, with experience returning kicks and covering kicks.

Again Herron will play the waiting game, looking for his chance to break into the Steelers’ lineup when mini-camp begins May 6.

“I’m starting from the bottom again, but I know I have to start somewhere,” Herron said. “I have to earn my keep and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Now is the easy part.”

Reach Scott Duncan at [email protected].