Harmon Makes Good First Impression 

by Bo Marchionte
@bomarchionte | College2Pro.com
Published August 15, 2025, 7:29 AM

Ben Roethlisberger stood on the sideline in street clothes, shaking hands and catching up with friends and former colleagues. In Pittsburgh, scenes like this are part of the culture where tradition runs deep and familiar jersey numbers feel as permanent as the fabric woven into the Terrible Towels waved on Sundays.

The setting was a joint practice at Acrisure Stadium, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers serving as what Mike Tomlin called a “good dance partner” for the work. For rookie first-round pick Derrick Harmon, it was just his second opportunity to face NFL opponents outside the comfortable confines of Steelers training camp.

Since arriving from Oregon in May, Harmon’s competition had mostly been his own teammates until the preseason opener. Now, the 6-foot-5 defender was lining up against new faces, including seasoned NFL linemen.

Steelers assistant general manager Andy Weidl liked what he saw from the debut and through camp.

“We thought he impacted the game with his rushes. He had pressures with his pass rush. He’s had a really good camp explosiveness, length, his hands, he’s always working his hands,” Weidl said.

“His ability to escape blocks in both phases, the energy he comes off the ball with it’s why we drafted him, along with the person and the makeup of who he is. This is just a starting point for him.”

Ben Bredeson, a veteran NFL lineman now with the Buccaneers, got a close look at Harmon in Thursday’s scrimmage. “Very long player, strong guy. Saw him on film he looks the part. I’m sure he’s got a great future ahead. Obviously, we’re only out here for a day, but you can see why he was picked early.”

It wasn’t a crowning moment, but it was a step a day when two experienced voices, one from the trenches and one from the front office, came away believing Harmon’s raw tools are there.

The rest is about adding thread by thread to a career still being woven into his own Terrible Towel.

Photo Credit Frank Hyatt/College2Pro.com