The Pittsburgh Steelers had a chance to take a highly rated quarterback in the NFL Draft when their turn came up Thursday night.
They opted to fix a leaky defensive line instead.
The Steelers stuck with conventional wisdom and selected Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon rather than take a chance on Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
Harmon is the first defensive lineman selected by the Steelers in the first round since Cameron Heyward in 2011. It’s perhaps a fitting choice. Harmon has been compared favorably to Heyward, who is coming off a Pro Bowl season and will turn 36 next month.
“He has Steeler DNA,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “For us, it starts inside and up front. This is a guy who is capable of dominating in space versus the run and the pass.”
The 6-foot-41⁄2, 313-pound Harmon spent one season at Oregon after transferring from Michigan State. He was a second-team All-American pick in 2024 when he had 45 tackles, including 101⁄2 for loss, five sacks and four pass breakups in 13 starts.
“You don’t have a chance to have a top-notch defense unless you can smash the run and get after the quarterback,” Tomlin said. “This is a guy whose resume says he is capable in both areas.”
Of all the defensive line prospects the Steelers scouted — they invited eight for predraft visits — Harmon was the highest-rated one to take an official top-30 visit.
“I had a feeling,” Harmon said. “It felt like home. I’m just happy I’m in Pittsburgh.”
Harmon said the moment when he learned he was drafted by the Steelers was “a little bittersweet.” He said his mother, Tiffany Saine, is on life support and was not among family and friends that attended his draft party.
A Detroit native, Harmon stayed home and attended Michigan State out of high school so he could be close to his mother. His voice cracked as he discussed the relationshp with his mother, who had a stroke when he was a freshman in college and has undergone numerous surgeries.
“She worked just as hard as me to get to this moment, but it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” he said. “I’m going to head to the hospital and tell her that her son got drafted.”
Defensive line became a priority after the Steelers gave up 299 rushing yards in a wild-card playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens. They also released veteran Larry Ogunjobi and didn’t replace him with an established veteran in free agency.
“Extreme urgency,” Tomlin said when asked about the importance of improving the line. “There is no substitute for young talent. You don’t have a chance to field a quality defense unless you’re stout up front.”
In his first three drafts as general manager, Khan has used two first-round picks on offensive linemen and his third on Harmon.
“You’ve heard me talk about the big guys,” Khan said. “That just doesn’t apply to the offensive side.”
Harmon’s health came into question in days leading up to the draft with reports that he had issues with his shoulder.
“We would not have picked him unless our medical staff was comfortable with it,” Khan said.
Sanders, once considered a top-five pick, was available after dropping out of the top 20. But the Steelers decided to wait until at least Friday before addressing that position.
General manager Omar Khan said he fielded calls about trading the draft pick. The Steelers haven’t traded back in the first round since 2001.
“We talked about certain guys we would not trade away from,” Khan said. “This was one of those players for us.”
Harmon was the fourth defensive lineman taken in the first round, and he was available after Michigan’s Kenneth Grant and Mississippi’s Walter Nolen were taken in the top half.
The draft shakeup began with the No. 2 pick when Cleveland swung a trade with Jacksonville, which moved up three spots and selected Heisman Trophy winner and cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter.
The Browns used the fifth pick to take the top defensive tackle, Michigan’s Mason Graham. He was the lone defensive tackle prospect who wasn’t expected to be available for the Steelers.
Sanders, once considered a likely No. 2 overall pick, slid out of the top 10. And then the top 20 before exiting the first round completely. Sanders wasn’t even the second quarterback to be drafted. Mississippi’s Jaxson Dart had those honors when the New York Giants traded back into the first round to pick him.
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The New Orleans Saints were a possible suitor at No. 9, but they bypassed Sanders in favor of tackle Kelvin Banks Jr.
Another surprise came at No. 10 when Chicago selected a tight end, but not Penn State’s Tyler Warren. Instead, the Bears took Michigan’s Colston Loveland.
The second defensive tackle prospect was taken with the No. 13 pick when Miami selected Michigan’s Grant, a 313-pound run stuffer who was on the Steelers’ radar. Some draft analysts had Grant slotted to go in the second round.
Warren went to Indianapolis at No. 14.
The third defensive tackle didn’t make it past the halfway mark of the round. At No. 16, Arizona took Nolen. Cincinnati followed by taking edge rusher Shemar Stewart, who had a predraft visit with the Steelers.
When Denver selected Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron at No. 20, that put the Steelers on the clock.
In addition to Sanders, the Steelers could have selected one of the top running backs in the class in North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton. Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden also was available.
Hampton went next to the Los Angeles Chargers, who signed former Steelers running back Najee Harris in free agency.