"The Sky Is High For Them": Steelers Young Defenders Get Strong Praise

The Pittsburgh Steelers have already completed two of their three preseason bouts and are 1-1 in the exhibition matches. After their latest loss to the New York Jets, the group is looking to bounce back against the Buffalo Bills and put everything together. While the young quarterbacks are the story of the 2026 preseason, the defensive line also has been under a microscope. Under a new defensive coordinator, fans across Steeler Nation are hoping for better personnel deployment. Patrick Graham is hoping to bring back that once-feared Steelers run defense, which has taken steps backward over the last few seasons. 

There has been no shortage of investment into the trenches on the defensive side, having first-round pick Derrick Harmon, second-rounder Keanu Benton, and fifth-rounder Yahya Black, along with free agent acquisition Sebastian Joseph-Day in the mix. Harmon seemed to be an immediate contributor for the organization, completely transforming the run defense when on the field, even as a rookie. 

Black played a lot as a rookie, primarily due to injuries, and showed steady improvement as the season went on. While Cam Heyward remains on the defensive line, it's clear the tide is beginning to shift to the young bucks. The team leaned heavily on Harmon and Black in 2025 and will likely do so even more in 2026. This potentially sets up the team for the foreseeable future.

Heyward recently co-hosted an episode of his show, Not Just Football With Cam Heyward, with Benton and Joseph-Day as his special guests. With the Steelers' 3-4 defense, they need big, run-stuffing defensive tackles, and Heyward believes the organization has the next crop of that archetype. He believes the team will be in great hands when he inevitably retires. 

“I always say that [they] ask good questions, and they're like intentional about trying to get better. Yahya and D-Harm have all the tools; they are God-givenly built to play football and be in the 3-4 defense," Heyward said. "The sky is high for them. I'm just excited to see them keep growing year-in and year-out because they can be a really good d-line even when I retire." 

The Steelers have always been really good at finding fits for the 3-4 defense; most of the defensive linemen they draft possess similar builds and skill sets. Black and Harmon fit the 3-4 defense perfectly and have very promising traits. Both men excel in run defense, but could certainly use some work with their pass rush. The two combined for just three sacks last season, with Harmon having all three. 

Black will be used much more at nose tackle this season, listed as the starter in that area on the depth chart. He already is being viewed as the nose in base packages. He has struggled with pad level in the past and will need to use leverage in the middle. Standing at 6'5", he is one of the larger nose tackles in the league, and is in a position that usually requires shorter defensive linemen. It will be a tall task for Black to adjust to playing head-up on the center. 

Steelers Need Strong Push From Harmon And Black

Black and Harmon might not be among the most athletic defensive linemen in the NFL and have some limitations. However, neither is Heyward, who was still able to carve out a Hall of Fame-caliber career. Heyward built his game on power, having one of the best bull rushes in the NFL. Black and Harmon both possess immense power and could be very effective with their bull rush throughout their respective careers. 

It's highly unlikely either player lives up to Heyward's career and unfair to expect as such, but they should follow in his footsteps and learn his moves. If the Steelers can get Black and Harmon involved in the pass game, the defensive line could become one of the most well-rounded in the entire NFL. 

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