Steelers Now
NFL insider Albert Breer revealed an interesting tidbit on Pittsburgh Steelers’ first-round pick Derrick Harmon. If it wasn’t for medical concerns, the former Oregon defensive tackle would’ve been a top-10 pick. The Steelers could have got a massive steal.
“Some teams said if he was less beat up, he’d be a top-10 talent in the draft,” Breer said on The MMQB NFL Podcast. “And you know, you’ve got Cam Heyward getting older and so you got a natural replacement for him. This, I think, was a great draft for now and for going forward.”
According to multiple reports, Harmon has a labrum issue that could eventually require surgery.
Mike Prisuta of WDVE reported that Harmon’s MRI at the 2025 NFL Combine showed a partially torn rotator cuff and a torn labrum that caused several teams to move Harmon down their board.
In their post-draft media availability late Thursday night, general manager Omar Khan and head coach Mike Tomlin dismissed any worries that Harmon is hampered by the shoulder injury.
“We wouldn’t have picked him unless our medical staff was comfortable with it,” Khan said.
They never denied that one existed, either. But Harmon came to Pittsburgh earlier this month for a pre-draft visit and he was checked out by the Steelers’ personnel. Tomlin revealed no red flags showed up.
“We were extremely comfortable with that component,” Tomlin said.
Speaking with media over the phone, Harmon said that he didn’t even know what the worries were about.
“I don’t know man, I’m fully healthy ready to go,” he said. “I don’t have no concerns. I’m ready to get to work.”
In his three seasons of college football, Harmon did not miss a single game due to injury. He played 38 games.
After three dormant seasons at Michigan State, Harmon transferred to Oregon in 2024 and broke out in a massive way. He notched a career-high five sacks and 11 tackles for loss, while also registering 55 pressures, which was most in the FBS amongst interior defensive lineman.
Veteran Cam Heyward thinks they were lucky to land him a talent like Harmon.
“Derrick Harmon, really good football player, even better person. I think everybody’s got a chance to hear his story. I like the way he plays on the field,” Heyward said on his “Not Just Football with Cam Heyward” podcast. “He can play a five-technique, a three-technique, a four-technique, good hands, good acceleration, and I think he’s only going to continue to just keep getting better. So I think we really lucked out with that, getting a guy like that early in the draft.”
Harmon could also prove to be Heyward’s future replacement. He has already received several comparisons to Heyward throughout the pre-draft process, and he only added to that when he revealed he’s watched Heyward for inspiration at the NFL level.
“Definitely Cam,” Harmon said. “The run, how he plays that run. If I want to watch some run tape, I’m turning on Cam Heyward.”
However, Heyward doesn’t want...
