Summary
Malik Harrison enters Year 7 as a 28-year-old linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers, boasting a 2.0 dynasty score and ranked #846 at the position. He logged 40.6% of defensive snaps in 2025, trending upwards with a high of 71.0% in Week 18. Harrison’s 22 solo tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 1 pressure across 17 games indicate a role-secure defender with modest upside.
Projection Rationale
Harrison’s 40.6% average defensive snap share in 2025, trending upwards with a high of 71.0% in Week 18, indicates a stable floor in a role-secure linebacker position. His 22 solo tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 1 pressure across 17 games suggest modest upside in a 3-4 defense with zone-heavy coverage. While Harrison’s athleticism may not match more dynamic linebackers, his tackling profile and consistent snap share provide a secure projection floor.
Injury Risk
Harrison carried full participation in practice in both Week 15 and Week 18, 2025, and has not missed game time due to injury. His positional injury risk is below average for linebackers, considering the Steelers’ zone-heavy 3-4 defense and Harrison’s tackling-based role.
Opportunity Notes
Harrison’s snap share has trended upwards throughout the 2025 season, with a high of 71.0% in Week 18. His 22 solo tackles and 2 tackles for loss across 17 games suggest a secure role within the Steelers’ defense, with limited competition from other linebackers. Harrison’s tackling profile and modest pressure generation provide a stable floor, while his snap share trajectory indicates potential for modest growth.
Scheme Fit Analysis
Harrison’s tackling profile and 3-4 linebacker role fit within the Steelers’ zone-heavy defensive scheme, which emphasizes gap control and tackling. Arthur Smith’s run-first, play-action west coast system and Teryl Austin’s 3-4 defensive tradition align with Harrison’s strengths as a tackler and pressure generator.
Trend Assessment
Stable
Harrison’s 2025 snap trend shows a steady increase from 6.0% in Week 1 to 71.0% in Week 18, indicating a stable role within the Steelers’ 3-4 defense.
Ceiling / Floor
Ceiling clears 2025’s 2.0 dynasty score if Harrison’s snap share advances past 71.0% and his tackling profile improves with additional pressures or tackles for loss. Floor tracks near 2.0 given Harrison’s 40.6% average defensive snap share and stable tackling profile. A mid-season injury or significant competition from other linebackers is the only realistic path to meaningful regression below that line.
Comparable Player
His tackling profile and modest pressure generation draw comparisons to Joe Schobert from 2019 Green Bay — a similar 3-4 linebacker with 22 solo tackles and 1 pressure across 16 games, albeit without the same level of athleticism.