As the Pittsburgh Steelers continue their preparation towards the start of training camp, the team finds themselves with multiple upgrades on the defensive side of the ball entering the upcoming regular season. After selecting former Oregon star Derrick Harmon in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Steelers now have one of the most promising defensive lines in the entire NFL. Harmon, who was widely regarded as one of the best defensive line prospects available this year, is expected to make an instant impact on the Steelers' defense during his rookie campaign.
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Steelers' first round pick and former Oregon defensive tackle, Derrick Harmon looks on during a game in college.
Despite having one of the stronger draft classes in the league, the Steelers are expecting to see further development out of multiple second-year players as well, such as Payton Wilson and Joey Porter Jr. Wilson, a third-round pick in last year's draft, is a fast and strong linebacker that shines against the running game. Porter Jr., who was the first overall selection in the second round of 2023, is a talented cornerback who flashed major signs of potential throughout his rookie campaign. He struggled with penalties in 2024, but is arguably Pittsburgh's best cornerback.
When asked what his expectations were for the Steelers' defense entering the 2025 season, Porter Jr. was confident in the team's ability to bounce back strong following a poor finish to last season.
"It's really just communication and everybody understanding everybody's job on the defense," Porter Jr. stated. "Once you understand that as a whole, then everybody can fly around and move at their own pace. It's really just understanding the defense as a whole, like I said, and really just be connected and communication."
Porter Jr. was a star at the college level during his time at Penn State. He is one of the many players on the Steelers' defense that is expected to continue to progress and be a cornerstone of the unit in 2025. Widely regarded as one of the biggest steals of the 2023 draft, Porter Jr.'s potential is as high as anyone's, as the Steelers expect the former Nittany Lion to become a top corner in the near future.
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Steelers' Joey Porter Jr. looks on during a practice in the Steel City.
With many players expected to play a major role on the Steelers' defense this season, fans should also keep an eye on promising young linebacker in Nick Herbig. Herbig, who is entering his third NFL season after being drafted by the Steelers in 2023, has shown major signs of improvement throughout his first two seasons and continues to emerge as a key piece on a strong Pittsburgh defensive unit. Selected with the 132nd pick in the fourth round, Herbig has been an extremely pleasant surprise for Mike Tomlin and his coaching staff throughout the past two seasons. The future star was elite during his time at Wisconsin as well, as Herbig earned All-Big Ten and All-American honors in 2022 after a historic season with the Badgers. Herbig will definitely be another young piece on defense that will be determined to prevent what happened during the end of the 2024 season.
Steelers Expect Production Out Of Promising Rookie Class
Despite a multitude of struggles on the defensive side of the ball towards the end of last season, both Porter Jr. and the rest of the Steelers' defense remain confident in the team's ability to bounce back with authority in 2025. While the team expects a big year from both Porter Jr. and Herbig, a solid rookie campaign from Harmon and fourth-round pick Jack Sawyer may prove to be crucial as well.
Sawyer, who spent his entire career on the college level at Ohio State, played a major role on the team's National Championship run last season, including a game-sealing 83-yard scoop and score against Texas in the College Football Playoff. Despite slipping to the fourth round of the draft, Sawyer is a promising rookie with massive amounts of untapped potential.
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Steelers' Jack Sawyer runs with the football during the College Football Playoff.
As the Steelers continue to prepare for both the start of training camp and opening week, the team finds themselves with a very solid young core of players on the defensive side of the ball. Fans should continue to keep an eye on both Harmon and Sawyer throughout Organized Team Activities (OTAs), as both rookies have the potential to become stars in the near future.
What are your thoughts on the Steelers' defense entering 2025? Let us know in the comments below!
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