The next few weeks leading up to the NFL Draft will be crucial for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Thus far, the team has hosted 16 pre-draft visits, leaving room for up to 14 additional prospects should they choose to use them. The Steelers have also welcomed two local visitors, who do not count toward the league-allowed limit of 30 visits per team.
Historically, general manager Omar Khan has placed significant value on these visits, using them as a key part of the evaluation process.
Since taking over as the primary decision maker for the Steelers, Khan has hosted the team’s eventual first-round selection on a pre-draft visit in each draft cycle, dating back to his first class in 2023. If the team does not bring in a specific prospect you are hoping to see selected, it could signal unfavorable odds. A large portion of Khan’s draft classes have passed through Pittsburgh.
Looking closer, the two weeks leading up to the first round of the draft are especially important when evaluating pre-draft visits. Much of Khan’s track record reveals a subtle but consistent trend, namely that many of the team’s top selections had previously visited Pittsburgh before ultimately hearing their name called by the Steelers.
The window from April 6 through April 17 should offer meaningful insight into which prospects the organization is prioritizing.
Pittsburgh Steelers could reveal their first-round target with upcoming pre-draft visits
While it's not a cemented plan, the Steelers have shown a small pattern when it comes to specific players they target in the top round. This year could be different if Pittsburgh decides to trade up in the top rounds since they have 12 picks to choose from at the upcoming event. Unless an uncommon scenario happens, Khan will likely stick to the plan that he has used since 2023.
Pre-draft visits remain important, but history shows the Steelers typically prefer to host their top targets closer to draft day.
On occasion, scheduling conflicts can alter that approach, as was the case with Derrick Harmon last year. He visited Pittsburgh on April 9, breaking a trend associated with Khan’s usual timeline. Before that, the team’s top selections generally made their visits roughly one week before the NFL Draft.
Broderick Jones was Khan’s first selection as general manager, and the offensive tackle visited the team on April 17. Troy Fautanu followed as the Steelers’ first round pick the next year, making his pre-draft visit on April 15.
The sample size is small, aside from the Harmon exception, but the Steelers appear to prefer hosting their top first-round targets as close to the start of the draft as possible to ensure all evaluations are completed, and there are no lingering concerns with the prospect.
While things can change from year to year, expect Khan to continue following this trend. This week will play an important role in identifying the team’s level of interest in certain prospects, but the players who make pre-draft visits with the Steelers between April 13 and April 17 will be especially telling. Those visits could signal strong interest in specific prospects leading up to the draft.