Did Pittsburgh Steelers Let Fans Down With First Round Pick?

The 2025 NFL draft has been full of surprises. A lot of eyes were on the Pittsburgh Steelers headed into the draft, wondering if they would sign a QB in free agency or draft one. The Pittsburgh Steelers are coming off a playoff appearance with Russell Wilson at the helm last year. With the 20th pick in the NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers have selected DT Derrick Harmon from Oregon. Many people were expecting the Steelers to select QB Shedeur Sanders from Colorado, but they decided to strengthen their strengths and improve the defensive line. 

Pittsburgh Steelers Strengthen Defensive Front In 2025 NFL Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a ready-to-win roster, having a top-tier defense led by a perennial DPOY candidate in T.J. Watt. Derrick Harmon should be able to thrive in this situation. He has everything you could hope for from a talented young player in terms of support. The Steelers already have a strong defensive line led by veteran Cam Heyward and starring T.J. Watt. Harmon should be able to learn from the former and thrive next to the latter for years to come, hopefully. Pittsburgh also has an unquestioned tradition for defensive culture, and this pick seems like a perfect fit. Last season at Oregon, Harmon had 27 sacks and was a destructive force up the middle. Fans expected Pittsburgh to select a QB and there was a pretty audible ‘boo’ from the crowd at this pick but I think it makes great sense. 

Building the Foundation of a Future Contender 

The Steelers’ season may have ended in the playoffs last season, but it was hardly considered a success by fans. Most notably, the disappearance of WR George Pickens in big moments at the end of the season left fans critical of the way things ended. The Steelers tried to remedy this in the offseason by trading a second-round pick for a WR1 in DK Metcalf. Pittsburgh also parted ways with both of its starting QBs from last season before resigning former backup Mason Rudolph. Aaron Rodgers has been reported to have been in talks with the team leading up to the draft, and everyone was beginning to wonder who would be dishing the ball out to Metcalf, Pickens and TE Pat Freiermuth. This draft isn’t regarded by experts as being the most QB-rich, especially compared to last year’s draft, where QBs were flying off the board in the first round. Pittsburgh instead plays to what they do best and hopes to be able to address the question of QB in later rounds, or maybe they know something about Aaron Rodgers that we don’t yet.