2 weeks Ago By Mike J. Asti, Yardbarker
The Pittsburgh Steelers addressed a key need with their first-round pick. No, they didn't take a quarterback. Instead, they added an elite pass rusher in Oregon's Derrick Harmon.
And despite being in desperate need of a franchise quarterback, taking Harmon over Shedeur Sanders was the right call . Harmon, listed at 6-foot-5, 330 pounds, recorded 45 total tackles , 11 for loss and five sacks in 14 games in his final college season for a Ducks team that went undefeated before falling in the College Football Playoff to Ohio State. In the season prior with Michigan State, Harmon posted 40 combined tackles and 1.
5 sacks in 12 games. While Sanders would come with questions and concerns about his arm strength and ability to throw the deep ball, Harmon could be ready to go right away. Even with T.
J. Watt, Cam Heyward and Alex Highsmith roaming Acrisure Stadium for the Steelers, Pittsburgh only ranked 12th in total defense last season. Pittsburgh's collection of defensive stars has failed to win a playoff game together, as the franchise hasn't won a postseason game since 2016.
Pittsburgh only managed 40 sacks in 2024. To put that in perspective, 15 teams had more than the Steelers. Watt had 11.
5 , a dip in production from his 19 in 2023, and when he tied the single-season record with 22.5 in 2021. In drafting Harmon, Pittsburgh is adding a young player with game-wrecking potential to their group of aging veterans.
Assuming he remains healthy, Harmon provides an ability to get to the opposing quarterback if Watt or Heyward are out of action. He will also regularly take pressure off them. If the Steelers were in love with Sanders or even Jaxon Dart, who ended up being taken by the New York Giants at No.
25 after a trade in the first round, then it would've made sense to go quarterback. But clearly, they didn't love any available quarterback enough. Swinging and missing on another first-round quarterback, like they did with Kenny Pickett , would be devastating.
So, as much as the Steelers need a quarterback they can build around, they couldn't afford to draft the wrong one. Mike Asti is an experienced media personality and journalist with a vast resume and skillset, most notably from time with TribLIVE Radio and WPXI-TV. Asti now serves as the Managing Editor of WV Sports Now, where he leads the coverage of WVU sports.
He has also covered the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates and other teams within the Pittsburgh market.
