The Pittsburgh Steelers held onto the 21st pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft and with Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders still on the board, they opted to go with Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon instead.
Sanders visited the Steelers on April 10 and speculation seemed to favor the Steelers selecting Sanders to fill their quarterback need, but the team addressed another need with Harmon. The Steelers allowed 299 rushing yards in its season-ending playoff loss to Baltimore, so boosting the defensive front became a priority. The 6-4 1/2, 311 pound Harmon could take the place of Larry Ogunjobi as a base defensive end or could eventually be a replacement for Cam Heyward.
Last season Harmon posted season-bests of 45 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and five sacks.
Mississippi quarterback Jaxson Dart, who visited the Steelers on April 4, went to the New York Giants with the 25th pick and was the first quarterback selected in the first round after Cam Ward was taken with the No.1 pick by the Tennessee Titans.
The draft resumes on Friday night with the second and third rounds. The Steelers don’t current have a pick in the second round. As currently scheduled, here are the picks the Steelers have left:
Third round — Pick No. 83
Fourth round — Pick No. 123
Fifth round — Pick No. 156
Sixth round — Pick No. 185
Seventh round — Pick No. 229
