Could the Pittsburgh Steelers have hit an instant home run with Derrick Harmon?

ESPN’s Seth Walder believes just that and has Harmon winning Defensive Rookie of the Year. The Steelers have not had a player win Defensive Rookie of the Year since Kendrell Bell in 2001.

“Pass rushing wins awards, and Harmon had the second-highest pressure rate at defensive tackle in the FBS last season. He’ll also get less attention next to Cameron Heyward, T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig,” Walder wrote.

Harmon was second in the FBS in pressure rate and led the FBS in pressure with 34. Harmon’s disruptive nature is part of what drew the Steelers to him in the first place.

Head coach Mike Tomlin talked Harmon up as a multi-faceted player who could wreak havoc as a pass rusher and still give the Steelers a boost as a run defender.

“I think that was one of the critical points I wanted to make. He’s a big man. He’s stout against the run. His résumé and tape confirms that. But he’s also a major, major threat in terms of getting after the quarterback. Probably tops in this draft class in terms of interior rush men, and so we got us a big man that’s capable of being significant for us in all circumstances, and that’s just what you want when you are talking about first round of the Draft,” Tomlin said.

Harmon has been called ‘the next Cam Heyward’ at times in the NFL Draft process. After a great day of testing at the NFL Combine, those comparisons only ratcheted up.

In Indianapolis, Harmon stood at 6-foot-4, weighing in at 313 pounds. Harmon ran a 4.95 40-yard dash with a 1.74 10-yard split, both great numbers for his size.

One NFL scout told NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein that Harmon reminds me a lot of Heyward.

“He plays like a Raven or a Steeler. Off the tape, he reminds me of a young Cam Heyward but bigger,” the scout told Zierlein.

Now, Harmon joins the Steelers’ front, and likely projects to be a starting five-technique across from Heyward. Keeanu Benton will likely stay at nose tackle.