Steelers rookie Derrick Harmon getting no love from NFL analyst

14 hours ago 2

While the Pittsburgh Steelers entered the 2025 NFL draft with a plethora of needs to address, they decided to use their first-round pick (No. 21 overall) on Oregon defensive lineman Derrick Harmon.

Harmon, 21, was a three-star recruit out of Loyola High School in Detroit, Michigan, before committing to play football for Mel Tucker at Michigan State ahead of the 2021 collegiate season.

In his three years with the Spartans, Harmon appeared in 28 games and recorded 71 tackles (seven for a loss), 3.5 sacks, two passes defensed, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Harmon transferred to Oregon for the 2024 season, and in 14 games, he recorded 45 tackles (11 for a loss), five sacks, four passes defensed, two forced fumbles and two fumbles recovered. He also earned Second-team All-Big Ten honors for his impressive performance.

Despite the first-round pedigree, Harmon isn't exactly getting the love that comes with hearing your name called on the first day of the draft. Pro Football Focus' Dalton Wasserman didn't even mention him on his list of rookies that are poised to start in Week 1 of this upcoming season.

In fact, Wasserman even broke the groups down into virtual locks, players on the cusp and rookies who could win a competition, and Harmon was nowhere to be found.

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Maybe it's just an oversight, but Harmon is absolutely in the mix to start for the Steelers in their opening game of the 2025 season.

With Pittsburgh moving on from Larry Ogunjobi (signed a one-year, $6.7 million deal with the Buffalo Bills), Preston Smith (unsigned) and Montravius Adams (unsigned), Harmon should be competing with Keeanu Benton, Isaiahh Loudermilk, Daniel Ekuale and others for some significant snaps in his rookie season.

And, considering the Steelers used a first-round pick on Harmon this year, he'll likely be given ample opportunities to show what he's got in training camp and the preseason. If he looks competent, he'll be out there with Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt when the team takes the field for the first time.