Derrick Harmon is wasting no time making his second Steelers camp matter.
The 2025 first-round pick already turned heads as a rookie by becoming a real problem against the run, even while knee issues held him to 12 games. Now, in his second training camp with Pittsburgh, that same trait is showing up again - and it showed up loudly in Thursday’s practice.
According to Penn Live’s Nick Farabaugh, Harmon was disruptive all day against the first-team run game.
“Derrick Harmon just a wrecking ball on all first team runs. Ranged from the backside of a toss to blow that one up.”
That kind of work is exactly what Pittsburgh can lean on, even if the bigger question for Harmon in Year 2 is whether his pass-rush production can catch up. His impact in that area wasn’t nearly as visible as what he did defending the run, but that doesn’t mean a breakout season is off the table.
The Steelers’ defense could look different in 2026 under new head coach Mike McCarthy and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, and the front has been reshaped with additions like Jamel Dean, Jaquan Brisker, and Sebastian Joseph-Day. There’s also another year of growth available from Keeanu Benton, Nick Herbig, and Joey Porter Jr. But right now, Harmon is the young player drawing the most attention.
And there’s a clear reason for that. If Pittsburgh is going to be strong defensively this season, its defensive line has to make life easier for the linebackers by winning at the point of attack.
That’s where Harmon stands out. Alongside Cam Heyward, he has the best mix of size and brute force on the line when it comes to stopping the run, and that makes him a major early-down piece for the Steelers.
The linebacker group remains a concern, which only raises the pressure on the front to hold up. Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson were unwatchable at times, and there isn’t an obvious free-agent fix sitting out there now. That puts even more weight on Harmon’s shoulders.
If Harmon does take another step as a pass rusher, great. If he doesn’t, Pittsburgh can still look to Benton for help there.
But if Harmon slips against the run, that’s a much bigger problem, because the Steelers don’t have the same kind of answer waiting behind him. Yahya Black and Joseph-Day can handle themselves, but neither brings the athletic upside that makes Harmon more than just a body in the middle.
For now, the early signs are encouraging. If Harmon keeps building and Benton stays part of the picture long term, the eventual retirement of Heyward won’t feel quite as daunting. So far, so good.
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