Steelers rookie DL Derrick Harmon and Yahya Black have flashed in Cam Heyward’s absence, but do they have flashes of him? With Heyward sitting out over a contract dispute, the rookies have seen plenty of snaps. Harmon recorded his first sack in last night’s game, and Black has made an impact, too.
Before and after the game, both Black and Harmon drew comparisons to Heyward. Foster compared Black to him in the pre-game conversion, and Chris Hoke did it for Harmon after. Given that he is on the Steelers, it’s a more obvious comparison to make. But he is also a lineman that young guys in high school and college study, so they’re not along.
“At the Senior Bowl, you know who he reminded me of? Cam Heyward”, Foster said of Black on the KDKA Pre-Game Steelers Kickoff Show. “I think he’s a bigger Cam Heyward. And he’s so big, he doesn’t even know what to do with his body just yet. I can’t wait to watch him mature and turn into a better product than a fifth-round pick”.
A fifth-round pick out of Iowa, Yahya Black is even bigger than Cam Heyward at 6-5, 336 pounds. Despite his late-round status, he has consistently drawn attention throughout training camp. He has developed a specialty of batting balls, a Heyward specialty. In two games, he has only registered one tackle, but the tape is more forgiving.
The Steelers view their 2025 first-round pick, Derrick Harmon, as Cam Heyward’s eventual successor. Heyward has said that he feels responsible for Harmon’s development, understanding how important he is to the franchise.
Harmon has been a bit more active on the stat sheet than Black, especially last night. Among three total tackles, he recorded his first sack, of which he plans to have many more. His tape from the second preseason game just showed somebody who has gained confidence from last week.
“He has a little Cam Heyward in him”, Chris Hoke said of Derrick Harmon on KDKA’s Nightly Sports Call. “What I like about him is his technique is sound and he’s physical at the point of attack. In that first half you had Keeanu Benton, you had Derrick Harmon, you had Yahya Black. They had good technique, they played physical at the point of attack”.
The Steelers already announced Harmon as a starter along with Heyward and Keeanu Benton, buy Black seems set for a rotational role as well. Indeed, he may be the first lineman off the bench at this point. Daniel Ekuale is the only other roster “lock”, that being something less than the most secure in history. Esezi Otomewo, Isaiahh Loudermilk, and DeMarvin Leal are the others in the running—even with Leal playing outside.
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