The Steelers pass on Shedeur Sanders to select defensive tackle Derrick Harmon in the NFL draft

By Canadian Press on April 24, 2025.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers gave their defensive line a boost, selecting tackle Derrick Harmon from Oregon with the 21st overall pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night.

While the Steelers remain in the market for a quarterback, they opted to pass on Colorado star Shedeur Sanders, who met with the team before the draft and received glowing reviews from head coach Mike Tomlin.

Yet with Aaron Rodgers still potentially available — the four-time MVP visited the Steelers’ facility in March but is taking his time before deciding whether to play a 21st season — Pittsburgh addressed another glaring need instead.

Pittsburgh is hoping the 6-foot-4, 313-pound Harmon can help a defensive front that was frequently manhandled during a five-game losing streak to end the season, the nadir being a first-round playoff loss to Baltimore in which Pittsburgh gave up 299 yards rushing to Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and company.

While Heyward remains seemingly ageless — he was named an All-Pro for the fourth time last fall after racking up eight sacks at age 35 — the Steelers have been unable to provide him with a consistently productive partner. They cut Larry Ogunjobi in a salary cap move in March and while Keeanu Benton has shown flashes during his first two seasons, he remains very much a work in progress.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Will Graves, The Associated Press

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