Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan are racking up the frequent flyer miles this week. Monday they were at Iowa. Tuesday it was Iowa State, Wednesday was Ohio State, and Thursday will be Alabama. In a tweet sent out by Senior Bowl Director Jim Nagy, he noted Tomlin and Khan are one of many head coaches and general managers to head to the Alabama Crimson Tide Pro Day.
Tomlin and Khan’s inclusion is no surprise, regularly attending Alabama, a school always pumping out big-time prospects. They’ll be joined by a solid chunk of the NFL, just as they were at Wednesday’s Ohio State Pro Day where the Carolina Panthers sent eleven representatives. Pittsburgh reportedly had five: Tomlin, Khan, Dan Rooney Jr., Pat Meyer, and one unknown member, perhaps DC Teryl Austin. Carolina will be sending its head coach and GM to Alabama tomorrow, too.
Alabama’s top prospects this year are QB Bryce Young, in the mix to be the first name off the board, and EDGE Will Anderson, regarded as the best player in this year’s draft and likely the first non-QB selected. But they’re far from the only ones. Other notable prospects include versatile DB Brian Branch, RB Jahmyr Gibbs, S Jordan Battle, OT/OG Tyler Steen, DL Byron Young, CB Eli Ricks, and LB Henry To’oTo’o, all likely or potential Top 100 selections.
Like Ohio State, it’s almost certain Tomlin and Khan won’t be the only two attending. It would make sense for Meyer and Austin to join them given the talent along the offensive line and in the secondary. Pittsburgh has drafted from the Crimson Tide well in recent years with three such selections over the last five draft classes in DL Josh Frazier and Isaiah Buggs along with RB Najee Harris. From 2007 to 2017, Tomlin never drafted a player from the school.
Below are an assortment of the player profiles we’ve written so far.
