PITTSBURGH — Regardless of quarterbacks Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart nonetheless being accessible, the Pittsburgh Steelers eschewed the place all collectively and chosen Oregon defensive deal with Derrick Harmon with the No. 21 total choose Thursday evening on the NFL draft.
Steelers normal supervisor Omar Khan mentioned the group wasn’t tempted to draft a signal-caller with the choose.
“We had been on the clock,” he mentioned Thursday evening. “We obtained the participant that we needed.”
Harmon was one in all a handful of gamers the Steelers recognized as one they would not commerce away from if he was accessible. Khan mentioned the Steelers fielded a number of commerce affords, however they held on firmly to the choose.
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“He has Steeler DNA for us,” coach Mike Tomlin mentioned. “It begins inside and upfront, and it is a man that is able to dominating that area versus the run and the move, and so we’re actually enthusiastic about having him. … We weren’t all in favour of 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 beneath contract, the Steelers seemingly signaled their continued confidence that Rodgers will ultimately land in Pittsburgh.
Earlier this week, Tomlin acknowledged the end result of the draft may 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 mentioned 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 right away youth infusion to an growing older Steelers line of defense anchored by longtime captain Cameron Heyward. Heyward, who turns 36 subsequent month, advocated for his group to choose Harmon on an Instagram Dwell feed earlier than the choice. And the appreciation is mutual. Harmon mentioned he fashions his recreation after Heyward.
“That was my first thought course of once I obtained the decision, was I am going to have the ability to choose Cam’s mind, be beneath his wing,” Harmon mentioned. “That could possibly be my vet now, and I can actually be taught from him. He is been doing this perpetually, since I used to be a child, so it would not be no different means I would need it, actually.”
Harmon was one in all 9 defensive linemen hosted by the Steelers throughout their top-30 predraft visits. Although rumors of a shoulder difficulty swirled earlier than the draft, Harmon was evaluated by the Steelers’ medical workers on his go to. Khan and Tomlin mentioned they had been “extraordinarily snug” with Harmon’s well being.
“I am absolutely up, able to go,” Harmon mentioned of his shoulder. “I haven’t got [any] issues. 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 deal with, and his 10.7% stress price as a defensive deal with was second greatest in FBS.
“Excessive urgency,” Tomlin mentioned, describing the extent of urgency in addressing the line of defense. “To be fairly sincere with you, there isn’t any substitute for younger expertise. You do not have an opportunity to fill a top quality protection until you are stout inside and up entrance. It is a younger man, man, that has a possibility to be taught from the likes of Cam Heyward and put his hand in that pile and be a major contributor for us for years to return.”
