Following his preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars, fans and media members came down hard on Derrick Harmon. The Pittsburgh Steelers' first-round pick had a quiet performance despite playing into the second half of the game against backups. But he quickly silenced doubters in Week 2 of the preseason.
Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Harmon was active early in the game, flashing his foot quickness and stopping power against the run. However, it was one play late in the first quarter that caught everyone's attention.
On a third-and-eight situation for the Buccaneers offense, Harmon exploded off the snap. He showcased an incredible bull rush, pushing the offensive guard into the quarterback and collecting a sack.
.@Steelers' first-round pick Derrick Harmon gets to the QB 😤
— NFL (@NFL) August 16, 2025
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On this rush, Harmon had Steelers fans on their feet. The big man showed how to effortlessly convert speed to power and put offensive linemen on ice skates in the backfield. This highlight play of the defense is exactly what fans wanted to see, and it only took one quarter of play against the Buccaneers in Week 2 of the preseason to silence all doubters.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are already seeing elite flashes from first-round draft pick Derrick Harmon
Just like it was too early to put Derrick Harmon under the microscope for his quiet first preseason game against the Jaguars, it's too early to crown him the next great defensive lineman for the Pittsburgh Steelers. But the fact that he's already showing elite flashes is a great sign.
In roughly a quarter of play, Harmon showcased the speed, power, and run-stopping ability we want to se. He left the game with three tackles, one sack, one tackle for a loss, and one quarterback hit.
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We knew when the Steelers selected Harmon with the 21st overall pick that he was a project. The former Oregon standout was a one-year wonder in college who needed to hone in on his craft. He's already starting to do that.
The plan is for Harmon to be an integral part of the Pittsburgh Steelers' defense, as he will be a starter from Day 1. It's nice to see the first-round pick get involved early and start putting doubts to rest.
The Steelers ultimately fell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a 17-14 outing in Week 2 of the preseason, but fans will hardly care about the endgame result in exhibition action if Derrick Harmon can keep playing like this.