The Pittsburgh Steelers passed on quarterback Shedeur Sanders to select defensive tackle Derrick Harmon with their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft.
“He has Steeler DNA,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said, per team-provided video. “For us, it starts inside and up front, and this is a guy that’s capable of dominating that space versus the run and the pass. We’re really excited about having him. As (general manager) Omar (Khan) said, we weren’t interested in or considering trading away from him. Really excited about getting him in here and getting started.”
The Oregon product lined up all over the defensive line for the Ducks last season, and that versatility is something the Steelers value when it comes to their defense. More than that, Tomlin talked about the type of person he is off the field as well.
“For a young guy, I thought he had an awesome sense of self, was comfortable in his shoes,” Tomlin said. “He had a real agenda about what he’s trying to get done within the game of football. He’s got a desire to be great. All of those things were attractive.”
Tomlin added that Harmon has the opportunity to learn from Cam Hayward and be a “significant contributor” for years to come. Kahn admitted the Steelers did take calls on the pick, but felt Harmon was the type of player they didn’t want to lose out on.
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“We were working the phones several picks before ours,” Kahn said. “You listen. You have to. We owe it to ourselves to listen. You don’t know how it’s going to shake out. … At the end of the day, he was just one of those players who we were not going to trade away from.”
More Steelers: Steelers Select Derrick Harmon With First-Round Pick In NFL Draft
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