The Steelers had yet another winning season (and another first-round playoff loss). Nonetheless, this meant that Pittsburgh was once again picking in the back half of the first round of the NFL Draft.
The Steelers had one of the most obvious quarterback needs in the entire NFL. Russell Wilson signed with the Giants in free agency, and Justin Fields did the same with the Jets. The Steelers are heavily linked to veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but he hasn't signed yet and indicated in a recent appearance on the Pat McAfee show that he wasn't in a hurry to make a deal. As it stands, Mason Rudolph is Pittsburgh's QB1.
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The quarterback class this year was top-heavy with Cam Ward and an uncertain mix after that. The Titans wasted little time making Ward the first overall pick in the class. After other quarterback-needy teams, such as the Browns, Giants, and Saints, all initially passed on a QB, Pittsburgh had its pick of the remaining signal-callers.
Even so, when Commissioner Roger Goodell came to the podium, it wasn't a quarterback's name that he announced. Here's more on Derrick Harmon, the new defensive tackle for the Steelers.
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Who is Derrick Harmon?
Harmon was born in Detroit in 2003. He will turn 22 during training camp. The defensive tackle began his collegiate career at Michigan State and spent three seasons with the Spartans before transferring to Oregon for his final season in 2024.
He didn't finish with many accolades, only being named to the Second-Team All-Big Ten team in his final season with the Ducks. Still, Harmon was considered a top-four defensive tackle in this class, often mixed in with Mason Graham, Walter Nolen, and Kenneth Grant.
Defense is a franchise trademark for the Steelers, so even with the need for a QB, Pittsburgh decided to beef up its line and focus on value instead of reaching for a high-risk, high-reward QB.
Derrick Harmon college stats
Here are Harmon's college stats from Michigan State and Oregon.
| Season | School | Games | Tackles | Tackles for loss | Sacks |
| 2021 | Michigan State | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | Michigan State | 12 | 30 | 3 | 2 |
| 2023 | Michigan State | 12 | 40 | 4 | 1.5 |
| 2024 | Oregon | 14 | 45 | 11 | 5.0 |
Derrick Harmon scouting reports
"Overall, Harmon projects as an impact starter who can contribute on all three downs, especially if he continues to grow as a pass-rusher. Schematically, he'd be the best fit as a 2i-technique in even fronts, but he has the versatility to line up anywhere from a 3-technique to nose tackle."
"Position-versatile building block that makes moving the football a much tougher task. Harmon is wide, long and naturally powerful at the point of attack. He can create traffic jams inside as a two-gapper or stunt and power his way into the backfield. He’s unlikely to be a primary sack man, but he can be part of a swarm unit that batters the pocket. He’s high-cut and tight-hipped, which limits his agility and reactive athleticism to finish. Harmon can play up and down the line in both odd and even fronts. He will bring an instant dose of stinginess and toughness to any defense he joins."
"He has the size to play in the interior, with the strength to two-gap and enough explosive athleticism to create edginess along the offensive line when asked to slant across a lineman’s face or shoot the gap."
"An ox is the perfect way to describe Derrick Harmon’s approach to the game. Harmon is here to beat the hell out of offensive linemen and stuff the run, while also being a quality pass rusher from the interior. Harmon showed off his athleticism at the combine, running a 4.95 40-yard dash at 313 pounds. He’s a load on the interior and checks a lot of bosses for a team looking for a plugger who can start right away."
Nate Tice, Charles McDonald, Yahoo Sports