As a man who has followed the NFL Draft longer than virtually anyone else in the business, ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. knows anything can happen on draft night. While he doesn’t predict Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders to fall to the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21, Kiper isn’t ruling it out, either.
According to the Trib’s Joe Rutter, Kiper left the door open Wednesday while speaking to reporters about the upcoming draft.
“On conference call, I asked Mel Kiper Jr. if he thought Shedeur Sanders could fall to Steelers at No. 21,” Rutter shared on Twitter/X Wednesday. “He didn’t have Sanders getting past No. 9 and Saints but wouldn’t be shocked if he’s available at 21. In his final mock, Kiper projected Oregon DT Derrick Harmon to Steelers.
As Rutter’s tweet notes and as Kiper’s most recent mock draft projected, he has the New Orleans Saints taking Sanders at No. 9 overall. But if Sanders falls out of the top 10, there’s no obvious team ahead of Pittsburgh at No. 21 that could select him. Perhaps the Seattle Seahawks at No. 18 and a team trading up is always a possibility.
Per Rutter, Kiper cited examples of quarterbacks falling in the draft. From Geno Smith to Brett Favre to, funny enough, Aaron Rodgers, there are numerous instances of top passers once projected to go within the first 5-10 picks who fall well below projection. Pittsburgh seems to realize the opportunity and will reportedly host Sanders for a pre-draft visit this Thursday.
Pivoting away from quarterback, Kiper has the Steelers selecting Oregon DL Derrick Harmon in the first round. Defensive line is a top need for the Steelers though their interest in the top defensive linemen was scant until Harmon was brought in Wednesday for a pre-draft visit.
“Harmon is a constant headache for opponents,” Kiper wrote in his latest mock draft. “He had five sacks and 35 pressures as an interior pass rusher last season, and he took care of business in the run game with 11 stops and 10 tackles for loss. Keeanu Benton and Harmon would be a good pairing inside.”
After transferring from Michigan State to Oregon, Harmon broke out in 2024 and had a career season. Drawing comparisons to Cam Heyward, he could become an immediate starter along a Steelers defensive line needing to improve its run defense while adding much-needed youth.
