PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers saw a lot of the things they wanted to get from rookie defensive lineman Derrick Harmon on Saturday.
Harmon showcased an excellent bull rush to land his first professional sack, even if it will not count officially in the stat books come regular season. That came after Harmon made a great run stick the play before.
The rookie, who failed to record a stat last week in his NFL debut across 33 snaps, made sure to show out in his second game and only played into the second quarter.
The improved bull rush comes from Harmon utilizing his 34 3/8-inch arms, something the coaching staff has consistently tried to get him to use to maximize his power game as a rusher.
For Harmon, that would allow him to overcome his just average burst, and win far more quickly, leading to some real eye-popping moments.
“I mean, 4x hands, so just got to put them paws on people," Harmon said about his strategy.
Reflecting on his first game a week ago in Jacksonville, Harmon admitted he was disappointed in his performance. The pressure of being named a starter loomed over him, too.
While the second game was far from perfect for him, it was a step in the right direction to making his presence felt.
“Yeah, week one was kind of rough for me,” Harmon said. “I (did not) take a big jump, but just more trusted my ability in the second game. Still a lot of work to do in the back end. Still a lot of work as far as me individually and the team, so just ready to get back to work. Just trying to get better every week. Something Cam (Heyward) said, don’t make the same mistakes this week. Just get better. Make new mistakes and things like that. So like Coach T(omlin) always says, make mistakes. Don’t make the same mistakes. So that’s what we going to do.”
In Indianapolis, 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.
The Steelers know they have an impressive player who Harmon who just has to find his ceiling within an already high floor.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.