Steelers Met with 3 Ohio State Players Ahead of Pro Day
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Omar Khan met with three Ohio State players in Columbus on Tuesday night ahead of the Buckeyes’ pro day, which takes place on Wednesday afternoon.
The Steelers brass met with running backs Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson and quarterback Will Howard, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Running back and quarterback are two positions of need for the Steelers in this year’s draft. The team has been scouting the RB position heavily during the pre-draft process.
The Steelers, who are regulars at the Ohio State pro day, should have a strong representation in Columbus on Wednesday. Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka is another player that Pittsburgh will have their eyes on.
Judkins showed out at the NFL Combine, posting a blazing-fast 4.48 time in the 40-yard dash. According to Kent Lee Platte, Judkins scored an unofficial 9.88 Relative Athletic Score out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 23 out of 1909 RB from 1987 to 2025.
The 21-year-old played a large part in Ohio State’s national championship run while rushing for 1,060 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Henderson is another speedy back. He scored an unofficial 9.07 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 179 out of 1909 RB from 1987 to 2025. Henderson rushed for 1,016 yards and 10 touchdowns last season for the Buckeyes.
The Steelers could use that kind of athleticism in the backfield. Former NFL quarterback and ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky pointed out that over the last six seasons, the Steelers are the worst running football team in the NFL, averaging 3.9 yards per carry. The Steelers just lacked explosiveness with Najee Harris as their running back. His longest career run during his tenure with the Steelers was only 37 yards.
“Learn how to run the football better. First, let me be very clear. Pittsburgh, respectfully, worst running football team in the NFL, 3.9 yards per carry. You have lost your identity as an organization,” Orlovsky said on ESPN’s “Get Up.” “I don’t care who the quarterback is. Until you fix that, it won’t matter.”
Egbuka was heavily linked to the Steelers prior to the blockbuster trade for DK Metcalf. He could still be in consideration if the Steelers decide to trade George Pickens, however.
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound wide receiver showcased his reliable hands with just a 2.8 percent drop rate in 2024. He also recorded a career-high 81 catches for 1,011 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior on Ohio State’s national championship-winning team.
Egbuka could prove to be exactly what the Steelers have been missing on offense, drawing comparisons to Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, a two-time first-team All-Pro.
If Egbuka turns out to be anything like St. Brown, who has amassed 430 catches for 4,851 yards and 33 touchdowns through the first four years of his NFL career, the Steelers would be lucky to land him at No. 21 overall.
Howard is an intriguing Day 3 prospect. He shined in Chip Kelly’s offense and led the Buckeyes to a National Championship. He could be someone that could develop into an NFL quarterback with the right guidance.
In his only season with the Buckeyes after transferring from Kansas State, Howard set career highs in passing yards (3,490), passing touchdowns (32), passer rating (175.8) and completion percentage (72.6).