$576,000 NIL-valued Derrick Harmon opens up about buying his mom a van following a tragic stroke
The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Derrick Harmon with the No. 21 pick in the 2025 NFL draft on Thursday. After being taken as a first-rounder, the former Oregon defensive tackle dedicated his big moment to his mother, who has been in the hospital for years following a stroke.
Harmon, who has NIL deals worth $576,000 as per On3, also said that he bought an accessible van for his mother last year.
Harmon's mother had multiple brain surgeries and suffered a stroke when he was a freshman at Michigan State in 2021. She is reportedly on life support and in a coma.
After being drafted by Pittsburgh, Harmon went to the hospital to tell his mother about his step up to the NFL.
"A blessing, a blessing, truly a blessing," Harmon said on a media call after the Steelers drafted him. "She's at the hospital right now on life support, so that was a little bittersweet because she worked as hard just as me to get to this moment. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I'm very excited.
"After I get off the phone with you guys, I'm going to head straight to the hospital and tell her that her son got drafted."
Harmon played three years at Michigan State before transferring to Oregon in 2024. Now, it will be interesting to see how he fares for the Steelers.
Steelers HC Mike Tomlin waxes lyrical on Derrick Harmon
Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin praised Derrick Harmon after drafting the defensive tackle.
According to an article written by WTAE-TV Pittsburgh's Andrew Stockey and Ava Rash on Thursday, Tomlin said that he met the former Oregon star and was convinced that Harmon had what it took to be a Steeler.
"His tape was impressive," Tomlin said. "We had great visits with him in Indy. He came to Pittsburgh; man, we had a great day with him. Just with each interaction, we all got more and more comfortable that he was our type of a guy."
At Oregon, Harmon recorded 45 tackles, 5.0 sacks and two forced fumbles in 2024. He was named to the second-team All-Big Ten in his sole season with the Ducks.
The Steelers made it to the playoffs last season but were eliminated in the postseason by the Baltimore Ravens. They hope to make a deeper run in the playoffs next season.