With the buzz of free agency dying down, football fans anxiously await the 2025 NFL Draft. The Pittsburgh Steelers haven't even figured out who their quarterback will be yet, but Omar Khan and the front office have done some good things in the draft over the first two years, and fans are optimistic that will continue.
On Tuesday, Mel Kiper Jr. released the latest edition of his full first-round NFL mock draft, and it was both a blessing and a curse to Steelers fans.
With the 21st overall selection, Kiper had Pittsburgh turning their card in for Oregon defensive lineman, Derrick Harmon. Harmon possesses a beautiful blend of traits, size, and explosion. The Steelers have desperately been searching for help along the interior defensive line, and Harmon fits the bill.
At 6'4 1/2'' and 313 pounds with long arms and the ability to slide anywhere along the defensive line, Harmon has drawn pro comparisons to former Steeler Stephon Tuitt. With Cam Heyward turning 36 years old shortly after the draft and with only Keeanu Benton to look forward to on the interior defensive line, Harmon would be a phenomenal pick and is too good to pass up.
That's the dream. But a nightmare also unfolds in Kiper's mock draft.
The Pittsburgh Steelers take the good with the bad in Mel Kiper Jr.'s NFL mock draft
The Pittsburgh Steelers land a player that all fans can get behind and the team would be ecstatic to have in Derrick Harmon. Unfortunately, their weakest AFC North rival would get a serious talent boost if the draft unfolds like this.
With the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Kiper has the Cleveland Browns running to turn their card in for Abdul Carter. The Penn State product is considered to be one of the best edge rushers to enter the draft in years, and pairing him with Myles Garrett—who is staying in Cleveland on a massive new contract extension—would be terrifying.
If the Browns had both Garrett and Carter getting after quarterbacks, this would create a trump card among all pass-rush duos in the NFL and make it extremely difficult for the quarterback (whoever that ends up being) to hang onto the football for more than a few seconds without getting sandwiched in the pocket.
Sure, Harmon could give the Browns fits as well as they would look to slow down the explosive defensive lineman, but the Steelers would have no sustainable plan to stop the combination of Garrett and Carter.
Kiper's latest mock draft is both a dream and a nightmare for Pittsburgh Steelers fans that comes with a mixed bag of emotions. There's a real shot we could see this play out in the 2025 NFL Draft.