Football games are won and lost in the trenches, and in recent years the Pittsburgh Steelers have placed a great emphasis on the trenches, particularly on the offensive side of the football.
Now, it’s time to do the same with the defensive line, particularly in the 2025 NFL Draft.
For longtime NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay, that’s exactly the direction the Steelers should — and likely will — go in the first round, regardless of what happens at quarterback with Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson.
In his latest mock draft, McShay has the Steelers grabbing a big, powerful defensive lineman in Oregon’s Derrick Harmon at No. 21 overall, giving Pittsburgh a legitimate building block to work with alongside Cameron Heyward and Keeanu Benton.
“It could sting if Jaxson Dart and TreVeyon Henderson come off the board with the two picks before this. And remember, the Steelers traded away their second rounder (52nd overall) as part of the DK Metcalf deal. So I think that the Steelers will go trenches in this scenario, drafting an offensive tackle like Josh Simmons, who could fill the void of Dan Moore Jr. or kick inside to guard, or a defensive tackle like Harmon, who could add depth and eventually replace the soon-to-be 36-year-old Cameron Heyward opposite emerging difference maker Keeanu Benton,” McShay writes of pairing Harmon with the Steelers in his latest mock draft. “At 6-foot-5 and 313 pounds with 34 3/8-inch arms, Harmon has the prototypical size and length to match his impressive movement skills along the interior. The Michigan State transfer thrived along the interior for the Oregon Ducks, who went undefeated during the regular season.
“Harmon is a highly disruptive interior defender who uses an impressive combination of quickness and eye discipline to locate, disengage, and pursue. He finished the season with 43 hurries, five sacks, and four batted-down passes.”
Harmon is a player many have connected to the Steelers due to his similar play style to Heyward, who is coming off a first-team All-Pro season. Outside of Heyward, the Steelers need some help along the defensive line.
Benton is a nice young piece for the Steelers to continue to develop, but outside of those two are players like Daniel Ekuale, Montravius Adams, Dean Lowry, Isaiahh Loudermilk, and Esezi Otomewo. The Steelers have a serious need along the defensive line, and Harmon would be a major get for the Black and Gold.
With the comparisons to Heyward, adding a piece like Harmon and getting him to play and learn alongside Heyward on the field and behind the scenes, too, would do wonders for the Steelers’ rebuild in the trenches and help pass along the tradition and the standard in the defensive line room.
In his scouting report of Harmon for Steelers Depot, Alex Kozora compared him to the Seattle Seahawks’ Leonard Williams, a former first-round pick of the New York Giants.
“Harmon is a well-rounded interior rush player with the experience and skill set to play base 3-4 end. Those types of guys aren’t the easiest to find and project, especially for someone with Harmon’s higher-end traits. He’s a solid fit for a team like Pittsburgh, which could be looking for an eventual Cam Heyward replacement. He has two years left on his deal, and the Steelers drafted Heyward two years before they needed him.
“Harmon may not reach the heights of an All-Pro, but he’s a solid starter who can grow and improve. My NFL comp is Leonard Williams.”
The Steelers didn’t have much of a presence at Oregon Pro Day earlier in the week, which wasn’t a surprise but was also a slight disappointment. Chances are, Harmon will make a pre-draft visit to the Steel City, where the Steelers will get the chance to speak with him and get to know him on a more personal level, especially after they had a formal meeting with him at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine.
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