After investing heavily in the defensive line this offseason via the 2025 NFL Draft, things are looking very positive for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the trenches on that side of the football.
Rookies Derrick Harmon and Yahya Black, first- and fifth-round picks, respectively, have made some waves so far in training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe. Black has been all over the place, batting down passes at the line of scrimmage, playing up and down the front, and has generated a great deal of attention for his hustling.
As for Harmon, he just looks like the foundational piece moving forward along the defensive line for the Steelers, and is starting to come on strong as a pass rusher for the Black and Gold.
Seeing those two pieces in the trenches look like they do so far in training camp has former Steelers defensive lineman Chris Hoke believing the defensive line could be very good this season. Appearing on 93.7 The Fan’s PM Show with Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller on Thursday, Hoke raved about the rookie duo.
“He’s a stud. Listen, the guy’s gonna be great and, and we have to understand he’s also a rookie,” Hoke said of Harmon, according to audio via 93.7 The Fan. “So he’s gonna go out there and he’s gonna make some mistakes. There’s gonna be some growing pains, so we gotta give him some grace there. But the reality is, this guy can play.”
There was really no doubt that Harmon could play. Coming out of Oregon as one of the best defensive linemen in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Steelers were fortunate he was on the board at No. 21 overall, making him the selection for the Black and Gold.
For a guy who models his game after Cameron Heyward and plays a similar physical, abrasive style, it was a perfect match between player and franchise to get Harmon to the Steel City on the opposite side of Heyward.
So far in training camp, Harmon has looked as expected, creating high expectations for him as a rookie. But it’s been Black that has truly blown people away, outperforming what many thought he could be initially.
That includes Hoke.
“I mean, they got two studs on that defensive line, he [Harmon] and Black,” Hoke added. “Both those guys are gonna get a lot of playing time in the preseason. They’re gonna get a lot of playing time in the regular season. That’s gonna be the future. Those two and Keeanu Benton are gonna be guys that they’re gonna build this defensive line on for the next decade.”
“…They’re gonna put these two studs in there with Keeanu Benton, with Cam Hayward. That’s a great rotation.”
Though the Steelers were dealt a tough blow in the trenches defensively with the loss of Dean Lowry for the season, the performance of Black as a depth piece and the emergence of Harmon as that clear-cut starter along the defensive line have lessened the sting of the Lowry blow.
In the preseason opener, Harmon and Black will be given considerable attention to see if they can continue to cause problems for opposing offenses as they have in training camp.
It’s still very early in their tenures with the Steelers, but the future looks bright for the rookies.
