The Pittsburgh Steelers took Derrick Harmon with the 21st overall selection on Thursday. They had a tough decision on their hands with Harmon and Shedeur Sanders — who the Steelers were also said to be fond of — both available when going on the clock.
Derrick Harmon ended up being the choice, and the Steelers seem to be quite happy with it. However, one potential reason he fell to the Steelers and was the third defensive lineman off the board could be due to some injury concerns that have popped up recently with Harmon, specifically his shoulder.
Speaking to the media Thursday, Harmon was asked about those health concerns. According to him, there are no issues.
“I’m fully healthy, ready to go,” Harmon said. “I don’t have no concerns. I’m ready to get to work.”
As of now, there’s still not much clarity regarding that shoulder injury. We don’t quite know how serious the injury is or whether it was emerging in the pre-draft process or not.
According to Harmon, though, there’s nothing to worry about. The Steelers seem to have just as much confidence in his health.
Shoulder injury or not, Harmon is a player the Steelers have had their eyes on for quite a while during this draft cycle. He fits schematically and his style of play is similar to Cam Heyward. Heyward himself is getting up there in age, so Harmon could end up being his replacement over the next couple of years.
During the middle of the first round, a couple of defensive linemen went off the board. There seemed to be some worry as to whether Derrick Harmon would even be available. Both Kenneth Grant and Walter Nolen saw their names go off the board before him. We won’t know the exact reasoning, but the shoulder could have had something to do with it.
All things considered, the Steelers have to be happy with their selection. They filled a position that desperately needed depth and did so with a prospect they clearly like.
With five more picks throughout the rest of the draft, there’s still a chance for the Steelers to double-dip at the position. They need to address QB and RB at some point. Still, Harmon may not be the only defensive lineman joining the Steelers during this draft.
