With the NFL Draft just around the corner, this year’s event on the North Shore will mark the fourth draft conducted under general manager Omar Khan.
The 2022 draft class left Khan and the Steelers with a first-round quarterback in Kenny Pickett and a long-term plan, one that Khan eventually realized would need serious alteration.
Since his first draft, the Steelers have undergone several rounds of changes, with a new head coach the most recent to take effect. But before the Steelers embark on selecting their 2026 draft class, let’s look back on their first-ever class under Khan and his new-look front office.
Round 1, Pick 14: Broderick Jones, offensive line
Before Khan made his first-ever pick in charge of the Steelers, he made a trade to leap up in the first round. Sending Pittsburgh’s 17th overall pick and the 120th pick to New England, the Steelers jumped up three spots to take offensive lineman Broderick Jones out of Georgia.
Jones was supposed to help anchor the line in front of an offense headlined by Pickett, but neither part of that plan really came to fruition. Pickett was gone after Jones’ rookie year, and the tackle has struggled to maintain a solid presence on the line. He’s had his moments, but inconsistency has hampered his ability to protect the several quarterbacks he’s lined up in front of over his three-year career.
It’s painful to look back on some of the names taken after Jones. New England took shutdown cornerback Christian Gonzalez with Pittsburgh’s pick at 17th overall, and Seattle took this year’s offensive player of the year and Super Bowl-winning wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba at 20th.
If there’s a silver lining, Jones had his best season yet this past year, a season that was shamefully cut short due to injury. But he will still need to battle for a spot next season.
Round 2, Pick 32: Joey Porter Jr., cornerback
Months before the draft, Khan acquired Chicago’s second-round pick in a trade deadline deal that sent wide receiver Chase Claypool to the Bears. Chicago’s plummet down the stretch, plus Miami forced to forfeit their first-rounder, gave the Steelers a de facto first-round pick. With the 32nd overall pick, the Steelers took cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
The son of the legendary former Steelers linebacker, Porter Jr. has blossomed into a star cornerback in the NFL. Porter Jr.’s transition from college ball to the pros wasn’t seamless, and his early days with the Steelers saw his physical and handsy style of coverage draw a decent amount of flags.
But with more experience and refinement to his game, Porter has ascended up the depth chart in Pittsburgh. Last season, Porter held opposing receivers to just 29 total catches, and quarterbacks sported a poor 56.2 passer rating against him when targeted. With each passing year, he looks like a better and better pick.
Round 2, Pick 49: Keanu Benton, defensive lineman
The games played leader for this year’s Steelers class, Benton, has yet to miss a game in his three years in Pittsburgh.
Benton has gotten more and more comfortable in the defense with each passing year. After standing on the field for 43% of the defensive snaps in his rookie season, that number spiked to 59% in 2024 and 64% this past season.
Benton spent most of his time battling in the trenches in his first two seasons but showed an ability to get after the quarterback this past season. Benton racked up 5.5 sacks, good for fourth-best on the team.
He won’t always make the big, splashy play — although he had several last season — but he is an important part of the defense.
Round 3, Pick 93: Darnell Washington, tight end
The second Georgia player taken by the Steelers in this draft, the Steelers took a tight end to pair alongside their second-round selection from 2021, Pat Freiermuth.
Early in Washington’s tenure, he was used almost exclusively in a blocking role. His impeccable size — standing at 6-foot-7 and north of 300 pounds — made him a force on the line in pass and rush protection, essentially giving the Steelers an extra offensive lineman when he was on the field.
It wasn’t until 2024 that Washington became more involved in the passing game. In his sophomore season in the NFL, he caught 19 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown. It served as an appetizer for last season, where Washington was on the receiving end of 31 passes for 364 yards and a touchdown.
What he may lack in speed, he more than makes up for in size. Defenders bounce off him left and right, and the opponent is usually forced to rally around him to bring him to the ground.
The tight end room was pretty crowded last season, but with the departure of Jonnu Smith, Pittsburgh’s offense can rely a lot more on a Freiermuth-Washington tandem at tight end. Hopefully, that means an even further blossoming of him in a new offense under Mike McCarthy.
Round 4, Pick 132: Nick Herbig, linebacker
If there’s one area of the field the Steelers have perfected via the draft, it’s their linebackers and edge rushers. Herbig is one of just many examples of that.
The former Wisconsin Badger has grown into an elite edge rusher for the Steelers, putting up career-highs virtually across the board last season. Through three seasons and 45 games, Herbig has 16 sacks, nine forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, and an interception.
In almost any other organization, Herbig would stack up as an undisputed starter in the NFL. In Pittsburgh, however, he battles with T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith for playing time, giving the Steelers an elite trio of rushers with men behind them and confidence in whoever is on the field to bring the pressure.
His development could also allow the Steelers to trade from that position should they choose.
Round 7, Pick 241: Cory Trice, cornerback
Trice’s career is one unfortunately filled with injuries. Even before the Steelers selected him in the seventh round, Trice was a veteran in the injury battle. His junior season at Purdue was cut short after two games due to a torn ACL, but his college tape caught the eye of the Steelers, who took a flyer on the cornerback.
Before his rookie season, Trice tore his ACL in practice, ending his rookie season before it could even get off the ground. The following season, a hamstring injury limited him to just six games, during which he recorded one interception.
Last year, he started the year on injured reserve with a hamstring issue again and was not activated before the deadline, costing him another season. Given all of the unfortunate injury luck, it’s hard to call a pick like this a miss. But it is safe to say that things have not gone the way either side planned on so far.
Round 7, Pick 251: Spencer Anderson, offensive line
With their final pick, the Steelers took Anderson out of Maryland.
Anderson has played in all 17 games each of the last two seasons and was a fixture in Pittsburgh’s jump protection units last year, providing them with a sixth lineman to help protect quarterback Aaron Rodgers and usher the running backs.
Fun fact — Anderson is the receiving yards leader among offensive linemen in this draft class, with a whopping four.