Going into the 2024 season, it was unclear how much Mason McCormick would play. Selected in the fourth round of that year’s draft, it seemed like McCormick would spend most of his time sitting and developing. That changed rather quickly, though. James Daniels suffered a season-ending injury in Week 4, and McCormick was his replacement. For a rookie coming out of a smaller school, he played pretty well. Omar Khan seems to believe he’s only going to continue to get better.
“It was awesome,” Khan told media members at the NFL Scouting Combine of McComick’s rookie year. “Mason came in, small-school guy, he came in, this was not too big for him. Loved his progression, and I think the future’s bright for him. He gives us good options at the position.”
Coming out of South Dakota State, the NFL was a huge jump in competition for McCormick. As Khan says, the lights did not seem too bright for him. He wasn’t perfect, needing to be sharper in pass protection, but he was as advertised. A hulking people-mover, McCormick fits what the Steelers want to do on offense.
The Steelers have made no secret about what they want their offense to be. When they hired Arthur Smith, that was even more true. They want to be a run-first team, imposing their will on opponents. McCormick helps them better embody that identity. If he continues to develop positively, the Steelers’ offense might finally be more consistent.
He should also have an opportunity to continue starting in 2025. Daniels is scheduled to be a free agent, and although he was a good player, that Achilles injury could change that. Sticking with McCormick and letting Daniels walk seems like the safest option at this point.
Players had nothing but good things to say about McCormick as well. It felt like he and the Steelers’ other rookie offensive linemen made a positive impact on the team. With that group mostly being a weakness in recent years, that should be music to fans’ ears. Hopefully, Khan’s optimism will also extend to those other young players.
