Why 2025 is so important for Omar Khan’s reputation
Up to this point in Omar Khan’s tenure as the general manager of the Pittsburgh Steelers, most fans would give him a high grade, which I believe is more than fair. However, 2025 is shaping up to be his most important season yet, as his first draft cycle in charge enters its third year in the league.
Year three is a crucial stage in the development of NFL prospects. By this point, they’ve had two full seasons of experience and a second full offseason of personal training under their belt. With that, there’s an expectation that these players begin to cement their roles on the roster moving forward.
Back in 2023, Khan was widely praised for his first draft haul, earning A and A+ grades from multiple media outlets. But as we sit here today, the class looks solid — good, rather than exceptional.
For most of the players, their arrows are certainly trending upward, which is a good sign. But for Steelers fans — and for Khan’s reputation — we hope 2025 is the season where one or two members of that class take the leap to become star-level contributors.
Looking up and down the class from a May 2025 standpoint, the two crown jewels appear to be Joey Porter Jr. and Keeanu Benton. Both burst onto the scene with outstanding rookie seasons that flashed Pro Bowl potential. However, they followed those with fairly neutral 2024 campaigns and didn’t quite take the leap that some fans were hoping for.
Next up is the most important selection of the draft — left tackle Broderick Jones. In his rookie season, Jones showed promise in limited action, enough to feel optimistic heading into 2024. Unfortunately, he lost out on a starting job to Troy Fautanu and Dan Moore Jr., which was a disappointing outcome for a former first-round pick. He was later forced into action due to an injury to Fautanu, where he struggled significantly until the bye week. After that, his performances started to turn around — at least slightly.
Then there’s the value duo of Darnell Washington and Nick Herbig, who might be two of the better mid-to-late-round picks of the class. Washington is essentially another offensive tackle when blocking, and when finally given some passing targets, he used his size well in space. Herbig, on the other hand, continues to make plays as the sixth man of the defense, always providing a spark as the backup to T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith.
Lastly the two 7th round picks have turned into legit NFL players with Cory Trice looking solid in the limited opportunity he’s seen due to injury. coupled with Spencer Anderson who you no doubt take back up level play from out of a 7th rounder like he was able to provide in 2024.
So after reading all of that, you may be wondering: what’s the problem with the draft class? Honestly, based on what we know, it’s a solid group—but we need to see more from it in 2025, and I fully expect that to be the case.
So, what would it take for this class to reach those A-level grades and earn that kind of praise?
I need to see Broderick Jones become a true bookend on the left side for the Steelers—or at least leave me 95% confident that he’s the answer moving forward.
I’d like to see Joey Porter Jr. cement himself as a legitimate lockdown corner in the NFL by cleaning up some of the penalties and eliminating the bad reps we saw on tape in 2024.
For Keeanu Benton, I want to see all the advanced analytics that point to him being a good player start showing up in actual production, making 2025 a true breakout campaign.
And lastly, if we can get the same level of contributions from Herbig and Washington—with just a bit more volume—that would truly be the icing on the cake for this draft class.
It’s a lot to ask for, I understand—but to get an A+ or even an A grade on a draft class, you expect those players to hit this level and be knocking on the door for a second contract after Year 3. So, I think it’s a fair assessment.
What do you guys think? Are these reasonable expectations for Khan’s first class if they want to live up to the hype they had around this time two years ago? Or what would you need to see to consider that first draft cycle under Khan a great one?
Archie, the expectations are reasonble for those three, let alone any draft pick from any year. Didn’t someone once say if you’re not actively getting better, you’re actively getting worse?
My question is if the players’ improvement is not more a function of the Steelers’ coaching and players themselves rather than Khan/Weidl?
In the dark corners of my brain I believe Jones is a bust, but I’m hopeful the move to the left side proves to be the elixir he needs to be at least a “better than Big Dan” LT. How he shows up to camp will tell me a lot right away, because apparently last year he did not look or perform like a guy that took advantage of off-season workouts.
I need to see Joey look like a guy that fully understands the system, and flourish in it. If he’s not an all pro, that’s OK, but he’s gotta at least be talked about as a guy that could be in the mix.
Benton was a big disappointment for me on 24. He just never popped on screen like I hoped he was going to in year two. Maybe we see that in year three, but the draft stock the Steelers put into the D line indicates to me they see him as a rotational #2 type guy.
I’d like to see Herbig show up with a little more bulk, and improve on setting the edge in the run game.
I find Washington’s usage baffling and I feel bad for him. I’d get that kid 4 to 6 targets per game – he could be chain mover. They’re wasting him. If all you want is a 6th OL why wouldn’t you pick up a swing tackle with good hands and use him as tackle eligible?
Trice? Just can’t play enough to grade, soooo I guess that’s his grade? In the racing world he’d be a DNF Did Not Finish. I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t make the roster.
JoeB, all true. I’ll note it took three seasons for Heyward to come into his own, and the coaching may have been better then(?). And Benton had doggone well better evolve into more than 5th-rounder Steve Furness. Herbig can only get so big, and he needs work on shedding blocks, sort of like Queen and Wilson (sorry, off-topic). I feel Washington’s usage is 98% coaching, unfortunately, very poor, and Smith has to change my opinion. Trice = Incomplete, yes.
Not an option waiting on player development these days. Heck, if Bradshaw was in the league now, he might be competing for a Browns’ backup job.
John Lewis was still on-staff, then. Karl Dunbar??
“ I’d get that kid 4 to 6 targets per game”
I can’t remember the game, but i remember a nice catch and how soft his hands looked. And, man, does he punish those cornerbacks when he hits them first, driving low to protect his knees. But he never gets the ball enough to flatten the same defender twice. It’s the second hit that puts the timid in them.
Yes.
In order to consider that 2023 draft, Khan’s first, a great draft, we need to see Jones become a more than serviceable left tackle, meaning he needs to be in the top 15 left tackles or top 30 total tackles–under some metric–for lack of knowledge just say the old PFF grades–Dan Moore was 46th last year.
We also need to see Porter Jr. take another step by decreasing his penalties and scoring a couple more INT’s. .
Benton needs to become consistent and make opposing teams pay the price for not doubling him and needs to be a pocket crasher along with Hyeward and Harmon.
Washington, Herbig need to continue to grow in their contributions.
If Trice and Anderson continue to be on the team and make contributions on game day or the practice fields that’s adequate, but if Trice most likely becomes a 3rd CB on the boundary, beating out James Pierre and the other free agent CB they brought in then that increases the greatness of the 2023 draft.
It was a good draft–next year will tell us if it was just good or great or if Jones busts, a not so good draft.
Steelersfan, I’d like to see Jones become Leon Searcy, minimum, at this point. Or John Kolb, that would be pretty good.