Steelers rookie DL Derrick Harmon took a big step in his second preseason game, highlighted by his first career sack. He turned a lot of heads, including his coaches’, as one might expect. But he also caught the attention of one high-profile former Steeler: QB Ben Roethlisberger.
“Man, he is gonna be an animal”, he said of Harmon Tuesday on his Footbahlin podcast. “He’s gonna be an animal. Love to see it. Love to see him just basically manhandle people. He just takes control of the line, takes control of his guy. And he is gonna get so much better the more he learns about the little nuances of the game, little techniques, little trick things, things that the big guys do in there”.
Convinced that they needed both immediate and future help on the defensive line, the Steelers drafted Derrick Harmon in the first round. While he impressed early on, there is a natural learning curve for rookies.
They expected him to make quick work of that learning curve, however, and they wasted no time anointing Harmon a starter. Not that they have many other options, none of which are particularly good. The most plausible candidate would have been Daniel Ekuale, and they are using him at nose tackle.
After taking a big jump from the first preseason game to the second, Harmon’s arrow is quickly trending up. He should be an instant-impact rookie, though he will also have to adjust to regular-season speed. He has had limited work against starters and hasn’t experienced an NFL game plan. But Roethlisberger isn’t worried about any of that.
“He’s gonna figure it out. He’s gonna learn from Cam [Heyward], he’s gonna learn from those guys how to be a vet”, he said of Harmon. “Awesome for him. Really, really cool to see that guy’s growth. And it’s gonna be fun to watch him throughout the season”.
Although Heyward was a first-team All-Pro last year, he is winding down his career. The Steelers are counting on Keeanu Benton and Derrick Harmon to form the nucleus of their defensive line for years to come.
Harmon understands the pressure that comes with being a Steelers first-round defensive lineman. He has no qualms about it and is embracing it. “Pressure makes diamonds”, he insists, and he knows he has a strong supporting cast.
Heyward, for example, called it his personal responsibility to ensure that Derrick Harmon is a success.
