Derrick Harmon

Career StatsC+

Year	Team	GP	Sacks	Tkl	TFL
Career		12	3.0	27	2
2025		12	3.0	27	2

Updated Jun 6, 2026

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

Among DT contracts at this AAV tier, Derrick Harmon's grades a C Contract Value Index. The verdict reflects a rookie deal carrying modest upside paired with early-career uncertainty — his 2025 season logged 27 tackles and 3 sacks across 12 games, a respectable foundation but one that hasn't yet proven sustainable at a starter's workload or consistency level. Harmon's $4.49M AAV is precisely where a first-round interior lineman should land structurally, and the four-year term gives Pittsburgh room to evaluate his development without immediate cap pressure. What elevates the CVI above pure baseline is the constructive sentiment surrounding him heading into 2026: the media narrative has shifted from "roster security question" to "how much can he grow," and the organization's recent linebacker addition and offensive line pruning suggest the Steelers view Harmon as a foundational piece rather than a depth stopgap. At 22 years old in his sophomore year, he sits at a pivotal inflection point where a statistical leap — driven by expanded snaps and assignment complexity — would validate the investment, whereas stagnation would reveal the pick as marginal. The C grade acknowledges that this is a fairly priced rookie contract for an unproven but genuinely encouraged prospect, with the trajectory dependent entirely on whether his professional maturity and offseason commitment translate into measurable on-field production.

Contracts in the Same Value Band

Other same-position deals the Contract Value Index also places in the C band — a quick read on where Derrick's contract sits relative to comparable money.

Performance Analysis

Derrick Harmon's tape and counting stats together earn a C+ performance grade. The 22-year-old first-round pick posted a respectable rookie campaign with 27 tackles and 3 sacks across 12 games, establishing himself as a functional interior presence without yet delivering the dominant snap-to-snap impact expected of a top-21 selection. His best statistical strength lies in his tackle production—27 stops in a part-time role signals adequate gap responsibility and downhill aggression—but his 3-sack tally reveals the core development gap: he needs to generate significantly more consistent pass rush production to justify his draft capital and earn a featured role. The knee sprain that briefly sidelined him during the season is a minor durability concern, though his rapid return and current participation in the offseason program suggest no structural red flags heading into year two. What separates Harmon from a bust narrative is the organizational confidence and media consensus around his trajectory—coaching staff and analysts are genuinely asking how big his sophomore leap can be rather than questioning his roster fit, a meaningful distinction for a young defensive lineman still operating from a developmental runway. The Steelers' recent signings of Dean Lowry and their broader interior defensive investments suggest they view Harmon as part of their long-term rotation, not a short-term patch, positioning him for expanded opportunities if he can translate his offseason work into measurably improved production.

How Derrick Compares at the Position

Derrick Harmon ranks 71st of 216 graded defensive tackles by performance. That slots Derrick between Bubba Thomas (B-) just ahead and Bill Norton (C+) just behind.

Current Sentiment

Recent headlines push Derrick Harmon's sentiment grade to a B-, with Pittsburgh's broader season shaping the read. The narrative around the 22-year-old defensive tackle is constructively framed as a quietly encouraging story—media coverage has shifted from "will he stick?" to "how much can he develop?", a meaningful distinction for a first-round rookie who logged 27 tackles and 3 sacks across 12 games in 2025. That cautious optimism is grounded in his quick recovery from a knee sprain and his visible eagerness to attack his first full offseason, signals that resonate with both beat reporters and the fan base as markers of professional maturity. The re-draft discourse tilts favorably in Harmon's direction, with some analysts suggesting he was undervalued at pick 21, though expectations remain measured—Pittsburgh's recent signings of linebacker Jamin Davis and defensive support moves suggest the organization is building around foundational pieces like Harmon rather than searching for replacements. The current perception landscape positions him as a rising interior presence with legitimate upside heading into a pivotal sophomore season, but he hasn't yet accumulated the statistical résumé or proven consistency to be viewed as a lock-in starter, leaving his narrative firmly in the "promising developmental arc" territory rather than breakout territory.