2018-2022 drafts are the reason

Without looking, can you guess how many current starters the Steelers have out of 38 players taken?




2 - Austin and Highsmith. 4 if you add Freiermuth and Porter in return for Chase Claypool

Teams who are successful have a roster full of home grown players in their prime. The Steelers have almost none. I'm starting to think we should be happy to be .500 considering how bare the cupboards were when Khan took over.

btw here are the drafts:

2022 20th Overall (5 offensive, 2 defensive, 0 special teams)
1 Kenny Pickett (QB) Pittsburgh 20
2 George Pickens (WR) Georgia 52
3 DeMarvin Leal (DE) Texas A&M 84
4 Calvin Austin III (WR) Memphis 138
6 Connor Heyward (TE/FB) Michigan State 208
7 Mark Robinson (LB) Mississippi 225
7 Chris Oladokun (QB) South Dakota State 241

2021 24th Overall (4 offensive, 4 defensive, 1 special teams)
1 Najee Harris (RB) Alabama 24
2 Pat Freiermuth (TE) Penn State 55
3 Kendrick Green (C) Illinois 87
4 Dan Moore Jr. (OT) Texas A&M 128
4 Buddy Johnson (LB) Texas A&M 140
5 Isaiahh Loudermilk (DE) Wisconsin 156
6 Quincy Roche (LB) Miami (Fla.) 216
7 Tre Norwood (S) Oklahoma 245
7 Pressley Harvin III (P) Georgia Tech 254

2020 17th Overall (3 offensive, 3 defensive)
2 Chase Claypool (WR) Notre Dame 49
3 Alex Highsmith (LB) Charlotte 102
4 Anthony McFarland Jr. (RB) Maryland 124
4 Kevin Dotson (OL) Louisiana 135
6 Antoine Brooks Jr. (S) Maryland 198
7 Carlos Davis (DT) Nebraska 232

2019 10th Overall (4 offensive, 5 defensive)
1 Devin Bush (LB) Michigan 10
3 Diontae Johnson (WR) Toledo 66
3 Justin Layne (DB) Michigan State 83
4 Benny Snell Jr. (RB) Kentucky 122
5 Zach Gentry (TE) Michigan 141
6 Sutton Smith (LB) Northern Illinois 175
6 Isaiah Buggs (DE) Alabama 192
6 Ulysses Gilbert (LB) Akron 207
7 Derwin Gray (OL) Maryland 219

2018 25th Overall (4 offensive, 3 defensive)
1 Terrell Edmunds (S) Virginia Tech 28
2 James Washington (WR) Oklahoma State 60
3a Mason Rudolph (QB) Oklahoma State 76
3b Chukc Okorafor (OT) Western Michigan 92
5a Marcus Allen (S) Penn State 148
5b Jaylen Samuels (RB) North Carolina State 165
7 Joshua Frazier (DL)

 

2018) Mason Rudolph - career backup
2019) DJ was a good player for a few years
2020) Highsmith - solid starter when healthy
2021) Muth - solid player, Najee - solid player that should have received 5th year option, Dan Moore was a mid level starting tackle
2022) Pickens is an elite NFL reciever that should never have been traded.

To your point, these are some awful drafts. Pickens and Najee are the two most talented players drafted during this time period. Steelers let them both go with little to show for it.

 

The jury is still out on the Khan drafts. But I would say they are a major improvement over the last years of Colbert.

2025
Derrick Harmon (DT) Oregon 21
3 Kaleb Johnson (RB) Iowa 83
4 Jack Sawyer (OLB) Ohio State 123
5 Yahya Black (DE) Iowa 164
6 Will Howard (QB) Ohio State 185
7 Carson Bruener (LB) Washington 226
7 Donte Kent (CB/PR) Central Michigan 229
2024 20th Overall (4 offensive, 3 defensive, 0 special teams)

2024
Rd Player (Pos) School PK (Overall)
1 Troy Fautanu (OT) Washington 20
2 Zach Frazier (C) West Virginia 51
3 Roman Wilson (WR) Michigan 84
3 Payton Wilson (LB) N.C. State 98
4 Mason McCormick (G) South Dakota State 119
6 Logan Lee (DE) Iowa 178
6 Ryan Watts (DB) Texas 195
2023 14th Overall (3 offensive, 4 defensive, 0 special teams)

2023
Rd Player (Pos) School PK (Overall)
1 Broderick Jones (OT) Georgia 14
2 Joey Porter Jr. (CB) Penn State 32
2 Keeanu Benton (DL) Wisconsin 49
3 Darnell Washington (TE) Georgia 93
4 Nick Herbig (LB) Wisconsin 132
7 Cory Trice Jr. (DB) Purdue 241
7 Spencer Anderson

 

I remember when it was Cowher and Colbert(2000-2006),they were the best drafting team in the NFL

 

They moved on from Colbert... now, they just need to move on from Tomlin and get the new era completely underway.

 

I have been on record in saying this since 2023 that will take until 2026 at the earliest for this team to return to Championship Contention in terms of personnel. Given the fact that, despite his woes in FA, Omar Khan has done well within the past three drafts; doubly so the past two. Two more drafts and the Steelers can contend again... from a personnel perspective. Do not discredit Andy Weidl either.


Now, as for a Coaching Perspective?! There needs to be some serious change; at the very top. Otherwise, no matter how good the drafts that Weidl/Khan put together, the Coaching Staff will, somehow, someway, find a way to mess it up.

 

Best pick: Mason Rudolph.

 

yep