The Pittsburgh Steelers made a few additions to their defensive line during this year’s draft. Two on the interior expect to play a big role, in Derrick Harmon and Yahya Black. Despite being a fifth-round pick, former Steelers OL Trai Essex thinks Black has been more impressive this preseason.
“He looks like the real deal,” Essex said on 93.7 The Fan on Friday. “He looks like he’s having fun out there, too. That’s a great thing. And dare I say, he’s been a little more impressive than Harmon out there… Yahya Black has really shown up and I know coach likes seeing that. You can’t have enough depth on the D-line.”
It’s hard to judge the two strictly off Thursday’s game, since Harmon got injured. He was carted off the field late in the second quarter, with an emotional look on his face which made Steelers fans fear the worst. However, it seems like Harmon and the Steelers were able to avoid anything too serious. He’s expected to be out a couple of weeks with a knee sprain. Not ideal, but far from the worst-case scenario many initially expected.
That said, when both are healthy, Essex may be right that Yahya Black has made more of an impact. Harmon’s had a lot of snaps, and did get his first sack of the preseason last week against the Buccaneers. However, Black has now put together three straight strong performances, with last night arguably being his best one.
His night finished with two sacks, each being his first two in this preseason. One of those came on this beautiful rep.
Black’s other sack came with some help from Julius Welschof, with the two bringing down Bryce Perkins together and forcing a fumble in the process.
Once being drafted, Black initially profiled as a run stopper. He has a massive frame which makes him impossible to move, and allows him to clog running lanes. He was thought to have potential as a pass rusher, but most expected that to slowly grow over time. While it’s only the preseason, he’s showing that potential already. His rip move in the clip above is an example of that.
We don’t know exactly how long Harmon will be out. But based on his strong preseason, Yahya Black should see plenty of reps in his absence. If Black can continue this level of play into the regular season, he might be looking like a steal of a fifth-round selection.
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