Steelers Almost Pulled Off Draft Trade

The Pittsburgh Steelers landed one of the top defensive prospects available with the 21st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Defensive tackle Derrick Harmon was projected to be a top-15 selection, but fell into the organization's lap in the first round.

Before selecting Harmon, the Steelers evaluated the possibility of moving back in the draft. Harmon was one of a select few players the organization was not interested in moving away from, however, and the New York Giants found that out the hard way on draft night.

The Giants recently released behind-the-scenes footage of their draft war room, and the Steelers were one of the teams New York was concerned with. As they tried to trade up to eventually select quarterback Jaxson Dart, they tried to swing deals with both the Steelers and the Denver Broncos.

The footage followed Giants' General Manager Joe Schoen discussing his rationale and options for moving up. With the Steelers, he voiced concerns about Pittsburgh needing a quarterback as well, but stated that the Steelers were trying to move back in the first round. The Giants were willing to send the same package they offered the Broncos to move up to the 21st pick.

Ultimately, that didn't happen. The Steelers shut down any further offers and selected an excellent rookie in Harmon. It wasn't the franchise QB that many clamored the organization to target, but Harmon is a player that can hopefully anchor the Pittsburgh defensive line over the next decade.

From the footage released by the Giants, it's clear the Steelers were active during the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The organization was split on whether or not they should stay at the 21st pick or move back and acquire more assets. The Steelers made the decision to go with Harmon, and now we wait to see if it was the right one or not.