First-round rookie defensive lineman Derrick Harmon missed the first two weeks of the 2025 NFL season for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Yet, in a small sample, he was still one of the more impressive rookies in September.
That’s what Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon argued Wednesday. Gagnon gave Harmon an A-minus grade through Week 4.
Only five first-round rookies received a grade higher than Harmon’s A-minus.
“He missed the first two weeks of his rookie season due to a knee injury but picked up a sack in his pro debut and already has five pressures as well as a critical batted pass that led to an interception,” Gagnon wrote. “The former Oregon star is off to a splendid start, albeit in a limited sample.”
Harmon was one of four first-round rookies who received an A-minus in Gagnon’s grades.
The only players drafted after Harmon this past spring who matched or bettered his grade were Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton, New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart, Atlanta Falcons edge rusher James Pearce Jr. and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell.
The Steelers picked Harmon at No. 21 overall in the 2025 first round.
After missing the first two weeks, Harmon recorded a sack in his NFL regular season debut during Week 3. In his first two career games, he posted 3 combined tackles, including one tackle for loss, two quarterback hits, and a pass defense with the sack.
Harmon’s pass defense at the line of scrimmage led to an interception during Week 4 against the Minnesota Vikings.
Derrick Harmon Excelling Early in NFL Rookie Season
One of Harmon’s best early season grades came from Gagnon. But other analysts have also really liked what they’ve seen from the Steelers rookie defensive lineman.
“Just four games into the season, there hasn’t been a breakout star quite yet. But of the Steelers’ rookie class, I think Derrick Harmon has definitely shown the most over the regular season,” wrote SB Nation’s Ryland Bickley.
“Harmon has played in just two games, but he already has a sack, a tackle for loss, and a pass deflection that led to an interception. And while he’s been far from the lone catalyst for the turnaround, the two games he’s played have also been the Steeler defense’s best this season.
“He’s also had a good number of plays where he made a clear impact even if it didn’t show on the stat sheet.”
In Pittsburgh’s traditional 3-4 system, the defensive linemen typically don’t earn a ton of accolades. That’s changed some with Cameron Heyward, but the Steelers defensive linemen usually do a lot of dirty work, putting the team’s linebackers in the best positions to make splash plays.
That’s what Harmon has done through two games, with a few splash plays of his own sprinkled in. Harmon sacked Drake Maye and then tipped a pass against Carson Wentz, which led to a turnover.
Because of the progressing age of the Steelers defensive line, the hope coming into this season was Harmon would make an immediate impact. It’s only been two games, but Harmon is delivering.
PFF Player Grades Love Jack Sawyer, Not Harmon
Gagnon and others love what Harmon has supplied the Steelers. But he’s not the consensus top rookie on the Pittsburgh defense.
Among the team’s first-year defenders, fourth-rounder Jack Sawyer has earned the highest Pro Football Focus player grade. Sawyer is the 10th-ranked defender on the team with a 72.9 overall grade.
Harmon sits at No. 18 on the Steelers defense with a 55.4 overall grade. PFF rated Harmon seventh out of 17 rookie defensive linemen in Week 4.
“Harmon played 35 snaps for the second consecutive week and turned in a solid performance as a pass rusher,” PFF’s Dalton Wasserman wrote. “He tallied three pressures, but his most impactful play was a batted pass that resulted in a DeShon Elliott interception.
“He contributed just seven snaps in run defense, earning one positive grade and one negative grade along the way.”
As Colin Cowherd argued while defending quarterback Aaron Rodgers, PFF grades aren’t and shouldn’t be the end-all, be-all statistical. Still, it’s useful information.
Harmon is showing real positive signs as a rookie but could just be getting started on his way to NFL stardom.
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