McFarland should serve in a backup role this season after the Steelers selected Najee Harris with the 24th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic reports.
McFarland will get to work under offensive coordinator Matt Canada in 2021, who served in the same position at The University of Maryland when the running back ran for 1,034 yards in 2018. However, James Conner left for the Cardinals in free agency during the offseason, and the Steelers decided to replace him by taking the first running back off the board in the first round Thursday. Coach Mike Tomlin described Harris as a "three-down back" after the Steelers selected him, signaling that McFarland should have to compete for carries with Benny Snell and Kalen Ballage in a secondary role in 2021.