With the 21st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Oregon defensive lineman Derrick Harmon. This was a selection that was well-received by most of the fanbase. But if you paid attention to Mel Kiper Jr.'s reaction during the evaluation of the pick, you can tell that he wasn't on board with the decision.
Harmon is big, long, athletic, young, and offers immense upside along the interior defensive line. With Cameron Heyward about to turn 36 years old, it was essential to find a replacement, and Harmon is the type of player this team has been searching for since the sudden retirement of Stephon Tuitt.
But the reason Kiper disliked the pick had far less to do with Harmon and much more to do with the player they passed on.
As the Steelers confidently turned in the No. 21 pick for the the talented defensive lineman, Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders was itching to become the franchise quarterback in Pittsburgh. Kiper had some brash comments on ESPN's live broadcast of the 2025 NFL Draft about the Steelers' decision to pass on the promising quarterback.
“[The Pittsburgh Steelers] haven’t won a playoff game in nine years,” Kiper said. “In this division, with [Joe] Burrow and Lamar [Jackson] and the AFC loaded with great quarterbacks, you have Mason Rudolph. And Shedeur is sitting there.”
Kiper continued, but was at a loss for words with Pittsburgh's decision in Round 1.
“If I’m Pittsburgh, Shedeur Sanders, to pass on him, At this stage? At pick 21? Come on!”
The Pittsburgh Steelers shouldn't take Mel Kiper Jr.'s comments about passing on Shedeur Sanders to heart
The Pittsburgh Steelers made the decision they felt was best for the direction of their franchise. While it's impossible to argue that a defensive lineman is more important than a quarterback, most fans and NFL Draft analysts would agree that Derrick Harmon was simply a better prospect than Shedeur Sanders.
When projecting forward, Harmon lacks nothing physically to develop into one of the best interior defenders in the league. This doesn't guarantee that he will, but the sky is the limit, and his remarkable physical tools and non-stop motor should give him a high floor in the NFL.
On the other hand, Shedeur doesn't have an elite skill set at the quarterback position with below average size and arm talent compared to NFL starters. This made his projection to the next level tricky—especially if he were to be drafted to the AFC North, where the weather always plays a factor in December and January football.
The Pittsburgh Steelers didn't feel that there was a quarterback worth taking a first-round swing on in the 2025 NFL Draft, and I applaud them for that. Mel Kiper Jr. doesn't like it, but passing on Shedeur Sanders might be the best decision for this organization in the long run.