Preseason roster cuts have been finalized, and the NFL regular season is right around the corner. Strangely enough, online chatter has directed scrutiny towards Steelers general manager Omar Khan. Specifically, it has targeted Khan’s supposed inconsistency in drafting quality talent.
NFL content creator Brett Kollmann, for example, replied to a tweet from Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Gerry Dulac with an image of Steelers picks between 2021 and 2023. Kollmann claims Khan’s drafting reaches both extremes: either he makes an amazing selection or misses completely.
(Kollmann corrected himself regarding the years, but maintains the same position.)
NFL Daily podcast host Gregg Rosenthal replied to the same Dulac tweet with a more declarative stance.
These opinions signal a clear issue that the Steelers have struggled with for a while. Many high-value draft picks became busts or eventually left the team. Steelers fans remember disappointments like Jarvis Jones, Artie Burns, and Devin Bush Jr. Most recently, Broderick Jones and Kaleb Johnson, both selections under Khan, joined that list of Steelers’ letdowns.
Still, questioning Khan’s effectiveness because of these blunders overlooks what has been a fantastic job of laying a foundation for the Steelers after 2026. In the few years Khan has been head honcho, the Steelers have corrected one of their biggest issues: drafting.
When Did Khan Take Over?
Omar Khan has been part of the Steelers’ front office since 2001. Under GM Kevin Colbert, Khan helped build the Super Bowl-winning Steelers rosters of the 21st century. Khan has been present for the drafting of most of the Steelers’ modern legends, including Troy Polamalu, Antonio Brown, Cameron Heyward and Ben Roethlisberger.
Khan has been with the franchise for so long that he even appeared in The Dark Knight Rises (2012). He and the Steelers, playing the Gotham Rogues, subsequently get swallowed into the ground when Bane blows up Gotham City Stadium (a.k.a. Acrisure Stadium).
Khan eventually rose to become the Steelers’ GM in May of 2022, a week after the 2022 NFL Draft wrapped up. Khan’s familiarity with the organization and Mike Tomlin helped maintain the team’s continuity as it entered a new chapter. The change could not have come at a better time.
Colbert’s Draft Regression
With Big Ben retiring after their playoff loss to the Chiefs, Colbert took the first swing at replacing the future Hall of Famer before he retired. Kenny Pickett, the 20th overall selected Pitt passer, was traded three seasons later after an underwhelming time with the Steelers.
Pickett was the cherry on top of a cake filled with Colbert’s draft misses towards the end of his time with Pittsburgh. Between 2016 and 2022, the only first-round pick that received an extension with the team was former DPOY T.J. Watt. Funnily enough, the second-best use of a first-rounder in that span was trading the 2020 selection for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Colbert’s selections beyond the first round were lackluster, as well. There were a few great selections, like Alex Highsmith, Pat Freiermuth and George Pickens. However, only three of Colbert’s drafted players since 2018 remain on the team (excluding undrafted Jaylen Warren). Thus, the Steelers needed free-agent signings to offset the lack of quality depth left in Colbert’s wake.
Around August of last year, Fansided editor and Still Curtain podcast host Tommy Jaggi posted a table of Colbert’s final five drafts. As of 2026, no player from 2022 remains on the team.
With drafts like these, mounting a Super Bowl run is close to impossible.
Khan’s Draft Track Record
Khan has bolstered the Steelers with young talent. After the release of this season’s 53-man roster, 25 of Khan’s 31 draft selections made the team. This includes all 10 of the Steelers’ 2026 draft picks, who impressed in training camp and in preseason games. Many of Khan’s early 2023 picks received contract extensions this offseason, providing roster stability for years.
Khan’s draft misses have been few, and said blunders were not necessary drafting malpractice. Broderick Jones, the 2023 first-round tackle, was derailed by bad injuries and instability in his development as a tackle. 2025 third-round back Kaleb Johnson lacked special teams value and did not fit schematically in the offensive scheme, falling behind in the depth chart.
Both misses were big given the draft capital invested. Still, Khan turned these bad selections into some value. Jones was traded with a fourth-round pick to the Cowboys for a third- and sixth-round pick. Johnson was sent to the Packers for a 2028 sixth-rounder.
The rest of the whiffs were late-round flyers that did not pan out. Ryan Watts, Cory Trice and Logan Lee showed promise, but injuries kept them away from the field.
Khan’s Future Outlook
Omar Khan has produced valuable rookie classes in his short time as the Steelers’ GM. He is not perfect, obviously. The underwhelming quarterback search and feet-dragging in Porter Jr.’s contract talks certainly frustrate Steelers fans. Regardless, the Steelers roster holds a lot of future potential, especially in the trenches.
If Khan can find that long-awaited heir to Big Ben, the Steelers will remain AFC contenders off of a formula that has worked many times before: savvy drafting and strong player development.
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