Sending away a second-round pick as part of the DK Metcalf trade, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a hole in their draft picks. Trading down could fill it. That’s what the Steelers did in Lance Zierlein’s latest mock draft, wheeling and dealing with the Los Angeles Rams to make a rare first-round descent.
In Zierlein’s mock, he has the Steelers trading back from No. 21 to No. 26 and still nabbing Oregon DL Derrick Harmon.
“Earlier in the pre-draft process, an NFC executive told me that Harmon “plays like a Raven or a Steeler.’ Well, here we are, and the Steelers still need defensive line help after moving back in this mock,” Zierlein writes.
He doesn’t outline what the compensation Pittsburgh would receive in this trade scenario. But we can take a guess what it might be. Like the Steelers, the Rams are without a second-round pick but have a pair of third-round selections, No. 90 and No. 101.
Trade value charts vary and under Kevin Colbert, Pittsburgh didn’t even use one (it’s not known if GM Omar Khan does) but a deal that sends the Rams No. 21 (worth 800 points) with the Steelers getting back No. 26 (worth 700 points) and No. 101 (worth 96 points) makes for an equitable deal. Such a move would give Pittsburgh a pair of Day 2 selections to compensate for what they gave up to acquire Metcalf.
Pittsburgh trading down in the first round is a rare event. Since 2000, it’s only happened once, when in 2001 the Steelers moved from No. 16 to No. 19 after a trade with the New York Jets. Similar to this mock, the Steelers still landed a stud defensive lineman in Texas NT Casey Hampton.
Recouping additional draft capital in a trade is certainly worth considering. But until the draft begins, the board is set, and the offers known, it’s difficult to predict or project what will happen. Trading down would be an ideal scenario for the Steelers adding picks and still coming away with a player like Harmon, who has first-round talent and addresses one of the team’s biggest needs.
Built like an ideal 3-4 defensive end, Harmon broke out in his lone season with the Ducks. Athletic, powerful, and versatile, he could step in and see starter snaps immediately. Harmon would also serve as Cam Heyward’s eventual replacement as the team’s top defensive end/tackle. Our scouting report graded Harmon well, comparing him to Leonard Williams.
A panel of NFL scouts are lower on Harmon, calling him stiff and a straight-line defender missing high-end upside.
With the Steelers’ selection in Zierlein’s mock draft, the Rams selected Texas CB Jahdae Barron. Other notable outcomes in this mock include Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders slipping all the way to No. 24 before the Cleveland Browns trade up for him, meaning before trading down, Sanders was on the board for Pittsburgh in this scenario.
After missing 2024 with a torn ACL, forgotten East Carolina CB Shavon Revel Jr. lands No. 23 with the Green Bay Packers while hulking Michigan NT Kenneth Grant goes early, No. 13 to the Miami Dolphins. Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart falls to No. 32 with the New Orleans Saints trading up for him.
