Under general manager Omar Khan, there’s a new path to becoming the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first-round pick. With his third draft in the books and more data to examine, one trend has emerged to be the team’s initial selection. Head to Pittsburgh for a pre-draft visit.
While that seems obvious enough, it hasn’t always been the case for the Steelers. In fact, the inverse was true for a bulk of Kevin Colbert’s tenure. Pittsburgh’s decision-makers went to the player to meet him. Now, it’s the other way around.
Below is a list of the team’s first-round picks since 2014, 11 in total (the team did not have a first-round pick in 2020). Each prospect is broken down by listing whether or not they came in for a pre-draft visit and if the Steelers’ head coach and/or general manager personally attended their Pro Day.
| 1st Rounder | Pre-Draft Visit | HC/GM At Pro Day |
|---|---|---|
| Derrick Harmon (2025) | Yes | No |
| Troy Fautanu (2024) | Yes | No |
| Broderick Jones (2023) | Yes | Yes |
| Kenny Pickett (2022) | Yes | Yes |
| Najee Harris (2021) | N/A* | Yes |
| Devin Bush (2019) | No | Yes |
| Terrell Edmunds (2018) | No | Yes |
| T.J. Watt (2017) | No | Yes |
| Artie Burns (2016) | No | Yes |
| Bud Dupree (2015) | No | Yes (Tomlin Only) |
| Ryan Shazier (2014) | Yes | Yes |
*COVID year, no in-person visits
In Kevin Colbert’s final eight drafts, only two picks came in for visits: Ohio State LB Ryan Shazier in 2014 and Pitt QB Kenny Pickett in 2022. The latter was a local visit of a prospect who literally shares the Steelers’ building—not exactly much of a “trip.” Pittsburgh went out to the Ohio State Pro Day and, of course, was there for Pickett’s workout.
Kentucky EDGE Bud Dupree, Miami (FL) CB Artie Burns, Wisconsin EDGE T.J. Watt, Virginia Tech SS Terrell Edmunds, and Michigan ILB Devin Bush didn’t come in for pre-draft visits. Nor did Alabama RB Najee Harris, though COVID barred any in-person visits.
As we’ve often pointed out, every first-round pick of Colbert’s final eight classes had him and/or Tomlin attend their Pro Day. And we know that has held true dating back to at least Maurkice Pouncey in 2010.
Under Khan, that streak stayed intact in 2023 for Georgia OT Broderick Jones, who came in for a visit and had Tomlin and Khan attend his Bulldogs’ workout, including a pre-Pro Day dinner.
That streak finally broke in 2024 with Washington OT Troy Fautanu. He came in for a visit, but Pittsburgh didn’t make the trip out west, sending OL Coach Pat Meyer instead of Tomlin or Khan. Ditto for 2025, when the Steelers barely had a presence for Harmon’s session. Only Senior Scouting Assistant Kelvin Fisher attended. Instead, Harmon came in for a visit as one of the team’s final visitors (his mother’s health issues modified his schedule and forced him to cancel some meetings).
In context and one minor counterpoint, perhaps the fact that Fautanu and Harmon were on the West Coast made these no-Pro Days quirky. Pittsburgh has traveled West, but it’s rare; Kevin Colbert attended David DeCastro’s Pro Day in 2012. But even Broderick Jones came in for a visit on top of the Pro Day trip, highlighting its importance to the team.
Pittsburgh values face-to-face time. They go to the Pro Days and bring these players in for visits, not to understand them as athletes and football players. The tape is out there. They already know all that. It’s to get to know the person. How they’re wired, how they think, how they conduct themselves. Pro Days allow for a chance to see them in “their” environment and interact with teammates. Visits lose that aspect but allow more people in the Steelers’ building to get to know the person rather than whoever the team flies out to a Pro Day.
There are pros and cons to both, but in a world where some teams are skipping pre-draft visits and putting up smokescreens, the Steelers aren’t. The primary link for the Steelers’ 2026 first-rounder won’t be the Pro Day visit, though that will remain a factor to consider. Instead, it’ll be the pre-draft visit.
