Since taking over for Kevin Colbert as the Pittsburgh Steelers' general manager, Omar Khan has made quite the impact on this roster. One of his strengths has been his ability to draft at a high level.
Through four drafts, Khan has yet to cut a rookie outright. That alone is impressive, but Khan has also retained most of his classes, speaking to the quality of player that is being brought in.
That should change this offseason, though, as a slew of players could be at risk of missing the roster in 2026.
Ranking the odds of making the roster for every Steelers draft pick under Omar Khan
0% Chance (Already Cut) – Cory Trice, Ryan Watts
Of the 31 draft picks that Khan has made over the past four seasons, only two have failed to stick. Both of them had injury issues that forced them off the roster.
The more severe was Ryan Watts. The sixth-round pick flashed a lot of promise during his lone camp, but a severe neck injury that preseason knocked him out for his entire rookie season. After a year off, he was forced to medically retire from the NFL.
Cory Trice is the more frustrating name. Uber-talented for a seventh-round pick, the hope was that the Steelers could get the best out of him as a potential starting cornerback. As has become customary, the team looked past his injury history when drafting him.
While the talent was always there, the injuries persisted, which led to him getting waived this offseason. Time will tell if he can get healthy enough to get an opportunity somewhere else.
100% Chance (Locks) – Joey Porter Jr, Keeanu Benton, Darnell Washington, Nick Herbig, Spencer Anderson, Troy Fautanu, Zach Frazier, Payton Wilson, Mason McCormick, Derrick Harmon, Jack Sawyer, Carson Bruener, Max Iheanachor, Germie Bernard, Drew Allar, Daylen Everette, Gennings Dunker
Another testament to how strong the drafting has been as of late, over half of the draft picks under Khan are essentially roster locks.
I won’t go through every name, as a lot of this list is self-explanatory. That said, there are some minor surprises.
Carson Bruener is just that. A pick that felt more based on nostalgia (his father, Mark, played for the Steelers), he excelled on special teams during his rookie year. I would say he is the third most secure linebacker on the team because of his status on coverage units.
As for the most recent draft class, gauging their safety is hard as we haven’t even seen them play yet. That said, anyone taken before the fourth round is locked in year one, even if they disappoint in their rookie year.
80% Chance (Nearly Locks) – Broderick Jones, Yahya Black, Will Howard, Kaden Wetjen, Riley Nowakowski
Probably the most controversial group, most fans would say these names are locks. However, there is a clear path where each one misses the final cut this summer.
Broderick won’t be cut, but if the team is comfortable with the other tackles, he could be traded. Yahya Black is a similar story. If he fails to build off his early success, there are other depth linemen that would be chomping at the bit to take his place.
Everyone adores Will Howard, but you can’t write a former sixth-round pick who has yet to play a snap in pen. He needs to earn the backup quarterback role, and if he doesn’t, he could miss the roster since Drew Allar is a lock given his draft status.
As for Kaden Wetjen and Riley Nowakowski, they feel like early favorites to stick, but they have extremely specific roles, and if they falter, they are easily replaceable.
50% (Coin Flip) – Roman Wilson, Kaleb Johnson, Robert Spears-Jennings, Gabriel Rubio, Eli Heidenreich
It is hard to give the backend of this most recent draft class a fair squeeze here. While Eli Heidenreich is an early fan favorite, he needs to prove that he can actually produce (and, more specifically, make an impact on special teams).
Robert Spears-Jennings is in a special teams battle with Sebastian Castro, and neither feels like they have the upper hand right now. Gabriel Rubio is battling a deep pool of defensive linemen, but his run-stopping ability could give him an edge.
Roman Wilson and Kaleb Johnson are different animals.
Wilson failed to establish a role in his second season, and by year's end was squarely in the dog house. Aaron Rodgers clearly didn’t like him as a target, so his return doesn’t bode well for the former third-round pick.
It would be a horrible look to cut Johnson in his second year, but his best-case scenario is being the third back on the team with little to no special-teams value. Both could be trade candidates come cut down day.
20% (Outside Looking In) – Logan Lee, Donte Kent
Rounding out the list is a pair of failed late-round picks. Both feel buried on their respective depth charts, and if either makes the roster, it feels like it will be due to injury.
Logan Lee has had opportunities here and there, but he has failed to capitalize on those snaps. His run defense has been poor, and he offers very little as a pass rusher.
Donte Kent was injured most of last year, and it feels like the secondary has gone in a completely different direction. Both could find homes on the practice squad, but that doesn’t count as making the roster.
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