Omar Khan Dismisses Idea of Steelers Drafting QB Shedeur Sanders
Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan was not interested in selecting Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders at pick No. 21.
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon with the No. 21 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. But Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who many had pegged to the Steelers, was still on the board.
General manager Omar Khan says Pittsburgh is more than confident with its pick, though.
“We were on the clock and we got the player that we wanted,” he said.
Harmon immediately addresses the Steelers’ aging defensive line, which already includes defensive tackles Cameron Heyward and Keeanu Benton.
The 21-year-old brings so much needed youth and versatility to Pittsburgh’s defensive front. In 2024, he was a second-team All-American, recording 45 tackles, five sacks and a pair of forced and recovered fumbles.
However, the Steelers still have a massive hole at quarterback with just Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson under contract for the 2025 season. And they are not slated to make their next pick until No. 83 in the third round.
Pittsburgh would be interested in reacquiring a second-round pick, which could then be used on a quarterback, but it remains to be seen what the team would use to execute that kind of trade.
Wide receiver George Pickens has been subject to trade talks in recent days, but it would likely take a very interested buyer to net a second rounder in return.
The Steelers may also still feel good about their chances of landing free agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers. They have remained confident that will eventually happen but a deadline has yet to be set, at least publicly.
Either way, Pittsburgh will head into Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft with its major question at quarterback unanswered.