Derrick Harmon, the Steelers’ 20th‑overall pick in 2025, flashed instantly in the preseason, recording his first Steelers sack against the Buccaneers and level‑setting Ben Scott with a bull rush that freed Kyle Trask. The rookie’s rapid rise to a starting defensive end role signals a high‑ceiling impact candidate for Pittsburgh’s front seven this season.

With Cam Heyward mentoring Harmon and pursuing a new deal, the veteran’s absence adds urgency to Harmon's workload, while still anchoring the defensive culture. The story also spotlights Tampa Bay’s rookie guard in Scott and Trask’s exposure to edge pressure, themes that will echo through camp and into Week 1 coverage. Follow TheSteelersWire for ongoing preseason and contract updates as these threads shape the Steelers’ defensive narrative.

For fantasy managers tracking edge production, Harmon’s trajectory is worth monitoring: continued opportunity, favorable matchups, and the Steelers’ defensive depth could translate into meaningful sack and tackle counts if this early pace persists into the opener.