Pittsburgh Steelers Interview Oregon Ducks' Derrick Harmon At NFL Combine, Next Cam Hayward?

Oregon Ducks defensive lineman Derrick Harmon will be participating in the NFL Combine this week. Defensive linemen are scheduled to work out at the combine on Thursday, Feb. 27 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET. Harmon will compete in position drills as well as: 40-yard dash, bench press, vertical jump, broad jump, three-cone drill, 20-yard shuttle, 60-yard shuttle.

Harmon is currently projected as a late first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft per NFL Mock Draft Database.

What Did Derrick Harmon Say At the Combine?

Jan 1, 2025; Pasadena, CA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) looks for an open receiver as Oregon Ducks defensive lineman Derrick Harmon (55) closes in durigt the third quarter at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Pittsburgh Steelers beat reporter Nick Farabaugh reported on Harmon’s media availability on Wednesday. Pittsburgh has the 21st pick in the draft.

Some Derrick Harmon notes:

- Formal with the Steelers, said he could talk to Mike Tomlin for hours

- Thought his game was opened up by playing in odd fronts

- Feels comfortable from 0T to 5T

- Models his game after Cam Heyward

- Advisory board gave him a 2nd round grade
— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) February 26, 2025

Some big takeaways from what Harmon said is that is that he had a formal meeting with Mike Tomlin and the Steelers and has modeled his game after Steelers’ Cam Hayward.

Harmon said that he could talk to Mike Tomlin “for hours.”

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Derrick Harmon’s College Career

Michigan State defensive tackle Derrick Harmon (41) celebrates after sacking Akron quarterback Jeff Undercuffler Jr. during the second half at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Harmon is listed at 6-5, 330 pounds. Harmon played four years of college football from 2021 through 2024. He spent his first three seasons at Michigan State before transferring to Oregon for the 2024 season.

Harmon played in 42 games during his college career and totaled 51 solo tackles, 8.5 sacks, 18 tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles.

His best collegiate season was in 2024 with Oregon. Harmon had career highs in solo tackles with 27, tackles for loss with 11, five sacks, and two forced fumbles.

Derrick Harmon Player Comparison

Sep 8, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Arizona Cardinals offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. (70) prepares to block Buffalo Bills defensive tackle DaQuan Jones (92) in the second quarter at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Bleacher Report’s NFL Scouting department compares Harmon to current Buffalo Bills defensive tackle DaQuan Jones. Jones was drafted out of Penn State in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans and has spent the past 11 years in the league.

Jones was a 4th-round pick coming off of a senior season at Penn State where he racked up 33 solo tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and three sacks.

Potential NFL Team Fits For Derrick Harmon

Nov 2, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Cam Heyward watches the game against the Tennessee Titans during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images | Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images

How would Harmon fit on Pittsburgh's defensive line?

The Steelers defense is lead by outside linebacker T.J. Watt. Watt is considered to be arguably the best defensive player in the NFL, and has made 1st-team All-Pro four times in the past six years while being named the Defensive Player of the Year in 2021.

In addition to Watt, the Steelers had three other defensive players that made this year's Pro Bowl in linebacker Patrick Queen, safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, and defensive tackle Cam Heyward.

Heyward, who Harmon said he has modeled his game after, is a 14-year NFL veteran who has played his whole career with the Steelers. Heyward has made 1st-team All-Pro four different times including this past season at age 35.

A parallel between Harmon and Heyward is that both played spent all four years of their college football career in the Big Ten (Harmon with Michigan State/Oregon from '21-'24 and Heyward with Ohio State from '07-'10). Heyward was selected No. 31 overall in the 2011 NFL Draft, the same range that Harmon is projected to go.