PITTSBURGH -- Since being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers a month ago, new Steelers defensive tackle Derrick Harmon has soaked in his new city and teammates.
For example, Steelers star Cam Heyward could not speak more highly of Harmon than he did on Tuesday. Although the pair only knew each other for a few weeks, Heyward said Harmon is meticulous, asking him repeated questions during practice and when he is out of the building.
Harmon’s frame and athleticism jumped out to Heyward, too, who quickly became enamored with the player Harmon is on the field.
“I think he’s got a good body,” Heyward said. “He moves well, plays with his hands, and definitely gets on the edge a lot more than other, younger guys. I think it’s just computing that to our scheme and getting guys caught up.”
Harmon has caught on quickly and seems to be a quick learner. The rave review from Heyward is notable. Heyward does not hand out compliments like that very often, and Harmon has a disposition that will aid him in getting on the field early.
“That kid is very inquisitive,” Heyward said. “He asks a lot of questions outside of just football. He just wants to be good. He has a good head on his shoulders and there’s not a lot of him being boastful. Like, ‘I did it this way’ or ‘I did it that way,’ he’s really just trying to learn.”
The Steelers will need Harmon to catch on quickly with their investment on the defensive line, and Heyward seems to think that could easily happen.
In Indianapolis at the NFL Combine, Harmon stood at 6-foot-4, weighing in at 313 pounds. Harmon ran a 4.95 40-yard dash with a 1.74 10-yard split, both great numbers for his size.
One NFL scout told NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein that Harmon reminds me a lot of Heyward.
“He plays like a Raven or a Steeler. Off the tape, he reminds me of a young Cam Heyward but bigger,” the scout told Zierlein.
This year, Harmon had five sacks and 11 tackles for loss. In his collegiate career, Harmon posted 8.5 sacks and 18 tackles for loss.