First-round pick Derrick Harmon had a very solid rookie season for the Pittsburgh Steelers last fall. But Harmon could be due for an even bigger season during 2026.
That’s what former Steelers starting linebacker Vince Williams argued during his Wednesday appearance on Steelers Nation Radio.
Williams hyped Harmon as a breakout player for the Steelers in 2026.
“That guy right there made a world of a difference when he was on the field,” Williams said. “I’ll keep saying it, your rookie year is a whirlwind for those young guys, just based on you don’t know what to expect. The unknown is the biggest opponent that you’re facing when you’re a rookie.
“I think the second year jump for [Harmon] is going to be amazing. I think he’s going to come out and tear it up.”
Harmon played in 12 games, starting eight of those contests, as a rookie last season. He posted 27 combined tackles, including one tackle for loss. Harmon also had five quarterback hits, three sacks and one pass defense.
Derrick Harmon Impact on Steelers Defense During 2025
Getty2025 first-round pick Derrick Harmon is entering his second NFL season with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Harmon didn’t fill the stat sheet during his rookie season. But there’s no denying the impact he made for the Steelers defense.
In Harmon’s 12 games, Pittsburgh’s defense gave up 91.2 rushing yards per game. That average ballooned to 165.6 rushing yards per contest when Harmon didn’t play.
Part of those averages were due to the matchups. The Steelers faced two elite running teams — the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens — without Harmon.
But that doesn’t explain all of the rushing defense discrepancy with and without Harmon.
With Harmon sidelined because of injury, the Steelers yielded 217 rushing yards to the Ravens. But then with the rookie back in the lineup, Baltimore had 137 rushing yards in the rematch.
The Steelers defense also excelled against top rushing attacks such as the Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions with Harmon on the field.
Harmon only played 53.7% of the team’s defensive snaps in his 12 games. He also scored a below average run defense grade at Pro Football Focus.
But it’s really hard to ignore those team averages, and with that in mind, it’s easy to be excited about what Harmon could bring after another year into the league.
Harmon to Break Out During 2026 NFL Season?
GettyFormer Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Vince Williams hyped defensive lineman Derrick Harmon as a breakout candidate for the 2026 NFL season.
A lot of second-year players take big jumps. After their rookie campaigns, they are fully acclimated to the league and benefit from a full NFL offseason.
In Harmon’s case, he would also benefit from a clean bill of health.
Harmon missed five games because of knee injuries as a rookie. He may have played through the ailments as well, which would have hurt his play.
NFL players often go on the field less than 100%. But playing through an injury is significantly harder for rookies.
The Steelers selected Harmon at No. 21 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. Over 42 college games at Michigan State and Oregon, Harmon had 8.5 sacks, 17 tackles for loss, six pass defenses and three forced fumbles.
He registered 10.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, four pass defenses and two forced fumbles during his final college season.
Ex-Steelers Defender Doesn’t Hold Back on Former 1st-Round Pick Derrick Harmon