-
Brooke Pryor
PITTSBURGH — Regardless of quarterbacks Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart nonetheless being accessible, the Pittsburgh Steelers eschewed the place all collectively and chosen Oregon defensive sort out Derrick Harmon with the No. 21 general choose Thursday evening on the NFL draft.
Steelers basic supervisor Omar Khan stated the group wasn’t tempted to draft a signal-caller with the choose.
“We had been on the clock,” he stated Thursday evening. “We received the participant that we wished.”
Harmon was certainly one of a handful of gamers the Steelers recognized as one they would not commerce away from if he was accessible. Khan stated the Steelers fielded a number of commerce presents, however they held on firmly to the choose.
“He has Steeler DNA for us,” coach Mike Tomlin stated. “It begins inside and upfront, and this can be a man that is able to dominating that area versus the run and the cross, and so we’re actually enthusiastic about having him. … We weren’t excited by contemplating buying and selling away from him and actually enthusiastic about getting him in right here and getting began.”
The Steelers entered the primary spherical of the draft decided to not let Aaron Rodgers‘ impending — but extended — determination about his future have an effect on their draft technique.
And in deciding on Harmon with solely two quarterbacks underneath contract, the Steelers seemingly signaled their continued confidence that Rodgers will finally land in Pittsburgh.
Earlier this week, Tomlin acknowledged the end result of the draft might have an effect on their pursuit of out of doors quarterbacks, together with Rodgers.
“What you do within the draft oftentimes impacts possibly some expertise acquisition that occurs after,” he stated in Tuesday’s predraft information convention. “We’ll see how the acquisition goes this weekend.”
Harmon, who spent his first three seasons at Michigan State, is a direct youth infusion to an getting older Steelers defensive position anchored by longtime captain Cameron Heyward. Heyward, who turns 36 subsequent month, advocated for his group to select Harmon on an Instagram Dwell feed earlier than the choice. And the appreciation is mutual. Harmon stated he fashions his sport after Heyward.
“That was my first thought course of after I received the decision, was I am going to have the ability to choose Cam’s mind, be underneath his wing,” Harmon stated. “That might be my vet now, and I can actually study from him. He is been doing this endlessly, since I used to be a child, so it would not be no different means I might need it, actually.”
Harmon was certainly one of 9 defensive linemen hosted by the Steelers throughout their top-30 predraft visits. Although rumors of a shoulder situation swirled earlier than the draft, Harmon was evaluated by the Steelers’ medical workers on his go to. Khan and Tomlin stated they had been “extraordinarily comfy” with Harmon’s well being.
“I am totally up, able to go,” Harmon stated of his shoulder. “I haven’t got [any] considerations. I am able to get to work.”
Harmon recorded 5 sacks in his lone season with the Geese and exploded for 11 tackles for loss. He additionally led the FBS in 2024 with 34 quarterback pressures when lined up as a defensive sort out, and his 10.7% stress fee as a defensive sort out was second greatest in FBS.
“Excessive urgency,” Tomlin stated, describing the extent of urgency in addressing the defensive position. “To be fairly trustworthy with you, there is no substitute for younger expertise. You do not have an opportunity to fill a high quality protection until you are stout inside and up entrance. This can be a younger man, man, that has a chance to study from the likes of Cam Heyward and put his hand in that pile and be a big contributor for us for years to come back.”
