Cam Heyward has been the face of the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive front for over a decade, but that era is quietly winding down. The six-time Pro Bowler turns 36 this season and has battled through multiple injuries in recent years, including a groin surgery in 2023 and a late-season ankle issue in 2024. He’s still a tone-setter when healthy, but the reality is Pittsburgh needs to think ahead.
Behind Heyward, the Steelers aren’t exactly stacked with long-term options. Keeanu Benton looks like a future cornerstone heading into his third year, but outside of him, the depth chart gets thin fast.
Daniel Ekuale adds some veteran depth, but at 31 and on a one-year deal, he’s not part of the long-term plan. If Pittsburgh wants to keep building around a dominant front, they’ll need to find the next long-term anchor sooner rather than later.
The Steelers don’t need to chase a Heyward clone (it'd be hard to find one anyway). What they need is a young, disruptive presence who can contribute early and grow into that role over time. With several intriguing options in this year’s draft class, this is the right time to get ahead of the curve.
Three DL prospects to help Pittsburgh prepare for life after Heyward
Derrick Harmon, Oregon
Harmon plays like he’s trying to throw offensive linemen into the third row. He’s a 6-foot-5, 310-pound problem on the interior who dominated in his lone season at Oregon. The power jumps off the screen, and his ability to disrupt the pocket without blitz help is exactly what the Steelers will eventually need from a future Heyward replacement.
He’s still raw in some areas—the hand technique can improve, and he’ll occasionally lose leverage when tired—but the flashes are too strong to ignore. In Pittsburgh’s front, Harmon could develop into a long-term 3-tech or 2i (aligning on the inside shoulder of the offensive guard) who plays early on downs and grows into a full-time role as Heyward ages out. He’s not Cam, but he could be the start of the next version.
Darius Alexander, Toledo
Alexander is one of those “don’t judge the helmet” guys. He’s coming from Toledo, but he has NFL traits all over him. At 6-foot-4, 310 pounds with long arms and explosive traits, he stood out even in Senior Bowl matchups. Alexander brings scheme versatility, strength at the point of attack, and some underrated pass-rushing upside that could develop with time.
He’s not as refined as Harmon, but the upside is there. He fits Pittsburgh as a rotational interior player early on, and with some polish, he could be more than just a two-down run stuffer. If the Steelers want a strong developmental piece who can rotate behind Heyward while the vet plays out his final years, Alexander fits the bill.
Jordan Phillips, Maryland
Phillips is built like a fire hydrant and plays with the kind of natural leverage and power that screams early-down contributor. He’s not much of a pass-rusher yet (zero sacks in two seasons) but that’s not what the Steelers would be drafting him to do. He’s here to eat double teams and win at the point of attack, and he can do that from Day 1.
At just 20 years old, Phillips brings a ton of physical upside and already looks the part of a rotational nose in Pittsburgh’s front. The pass-rush growth is a work in progress, but the wrestling background and motor give you something to build with. He could spell Heyward on run downs now and potentially grow into more over time.