Sportsvival Logo

Introducing- Derek Harmon

Jared Brevakabout 2 months agoSteelers
Introducing- Derek Harmon

Introducing—Derrick Harmon

The Pittsburgh Steelers had a couple of different routes they could’ve taken during the NFL draft this past April, but they ended up going with the safest and most logical route by drafting defensive lineman Derrick Harmon in the first round. Let’s take a look and see what Harmon could possibly do in his first year as a member of the Steelers.

Derrick Harmon started his college career at Michigan State in 2021. He only played in four games during the 2021 season to preserve his redshirt. He took a big step forward in 2022 where he had thirty tackles, three of which were for a loss and two sacks. 2023 was his most productive as a Spartan, he tallied 40 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

On May 3, 2024, Harmon transferred to the Oregon Ducks where he started all fourteen games and set career highs in tackles (45) and sacks (5). He was named to the second team All-Big Ten team by the media and was also on the second team Associated Press All American honors.

On January 6th, 2025, Harmon declared for the NFL Draft.

Harmon’s pre draft measurables from the NFL Combine are as follows:

Height: 6’4

Weight: 313 pounds

Arm Length: 34 3/8 inches

Hand Span: 10 3/8 inches

40 yard dash: 4.95 seconds

10 yard split: 1.74 seconds

20 yard split: 2.89 seconds

Harmon is a gifted physical specimen. Sportsvival takes a look at his strengths and weaknesses.

Most notably, Harmon’s strengths are his size and speed as a run defender. He is a powerful player at the point of attack who can anchor against double teams which leads to disrupting the run. He is a versatile player who can play numerous positions on the defensive line. He has played nose tackle, two tech and three tech in both odd and even fronts. He has a quick first step off of the snap allowing him to get to the backfield quickly. He also has good hand placement and uses his length well to create separation from him and his blocker. He is aware of the ball carrier’s movement and can make plays at or behind the line of scrimmage.

On the downside, he lacks the agility to consistently make plays out in the open field. He can sometimes play at a high pad level which can make him vulnerable to offensive linemen pushing him backwards. He struggles with lateral and rotational movement which can lead to inconsistent play.

Overall, Derek Harmon has some serious upside with some concerns and level for growth and improvement. The Pittsburgh Steelers needed defensive line help badly, and also selected Iowa defensive lineman Yahya Black.

The Pittsburgh Steelers must be patient with Harmon. They believe playing with Cameron Heyward for one year could do great things for Harmon’s development and possibly view the youngster as a “bearer of the torch” type player, which happens whenever one great player nears the end of his career, and the newest addition is the (hopefully) next great Steelers defensive lineman.

Only time will tell whether or notHarmon will be the next great Steelers defensive lineman.

(photo courtesy of USA Today)