Steelers Now
Would the Pittsburgh Steelers do something different in the 2025 NFL Draft if they could?
The Pittsburgh Steelers selected defensive tackle Derrick Harmon with their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. However, some believe they would pick a different player if they could go back in time.
Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report thinks the Steelers would instead go with defensive tackle Deon Walker at pick No. 21.
“Harmon got off to a slow start this season due to injury. He can still develop into a top notch defensive end in the Steelers’ scheme. But the group, as a whole, has been soft up front. Deone Walker is an even bigger and possibly more athletic option for Pittsburgh,” Sobleski wrote. “As part of the Buffalo Bills defense, Walker looks far closer to the projected first rounder. He’s been difficult for blockers to handle and disruptive, hence why he gets the nods in this slot.”
Walker has been a force for the Bills on their defensive line. Through their first six games of the season, the 6-foot-7, 331-pound defensive lineman has recorded 15 tackles, 0.5 sack and one pass defensed.
Pittsburgh had also shown interest in Walker during the pre-draft process, getting a close look at him during the practices leading up to the Reese’s Senior Bowl.
However, there’s a strong argument Harmon has had a greater impact in a shorter amount of time.
Since returning from his knee injury, Harmon has registered nine tackles, two sacks and one pass defensed in four games.
The Steelers run defense has continued to struggle at times, even with Harmon back in the lineup, but they also can’t expect one player to be the answer to all of their problems.
Only head coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Omar Khan know if they would do things differently in the 2025 NFL Draft, but they seem to have something special in Harmon, nonetheless.
A native of Detroit, Michigan, Harmon racked up 114 tackles, 8.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and four passes defensed during his collegiate career at Michigan State (2021-23) and Oregon (2024).
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers Select Different Defensive Lineman in 2025 Redraft
