Steelers Send the House for Texas Pro Day: Khan, Tomlin Smith in Austin
The Pittsburgh Steelers top brass all traveled to the Texas pro day on Tuesday, a sure sign of interest pair of players that are potential picks for the team at No. 21 overall in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, along with a whole host of Longhorns down the board in the class.
Steelers general manager Omar Khan, head coach Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith were all in attendance, a source confirmed to Steelers Now. Texas-based Steelers scout Chris Watts was also there.
There are a fistful of potential Steelers fits among those working out in Texas, including potential first-round picks, wide receiver Matthew Golden and cornerback Jahdae Barron.
Golden is a fast-rising prospect who tore it up during Texas’ run in the College Football Playoff, greatly elevating his draft stock. He was rated No. 209 on the NFL Mock Draft Database consensus bag board at Christmas. Now he’s No. 20, just ahead of the Steelers’ first pick.
Golden is one of a trio of late-first-round wide receiver options, and the Steelers top brass will be getting to see two of them back to back, as they’re expected to be in Columbus for the Ohio State pro day on Wednesday, where fellow first-round wide receiver Emeka Egbuka will be working out. Missouri’s Luther Burden III is also an option.
Barron has emerged as the lone cornerback in the back half of the first round. Barron had an excellent NFL combine, running a 4.39-second 40-yard dash and posting an overall 8.88 Relative Athletic Score despite being somewhat undersized at 5-foot-10 3/4 and 194 pounds. One of his most-comparable players per RAS is Steelers outside cornerback Darius Slay. Barron could play inside right away at the NFL level, while having the upside to also become a starting outside option to replace Slay in 2025.
On day two, defensive lineman Alfred Collins looks like a strong potential Steelers fit with his run-stopping background, thought Collins was in ankle boot on Tuesday and was a very limited participant. Fellow defensive lineman Vernon Broughton, a day three pick, did work out. The Steelers met with both Collins and Broughton at the combine, and Collins at the Senior Bowl.
Another wide receiver, Isaiah Bond, is also projected as a day-two pick. He pledged he’d break the combine 40-yard dash record in Indy, but failed in that quest. He timed much better with a 4.34-second mark at his pro day.
Quarterback Quinn Ewers is another player the Steelers have shown repeated interest in, with a combine formal and a meeting in Austin on Monday before pro day. He figures to be a third-round pick or later.
Running back ran a 4.25-second 40-yard dash after posting a 4.38 at the combine, and he should continue his rise up the draft boards.
Safety Andrew Mukumba, tight end Gunnar Helm, and center/guard Jake Majors are all other Texas draft options for the Steelers in this year’s class.
It also should be noted that Texas quarterback Arch Manning, the top player in the 2026 NFL Draft class, was also in attendance on Tuesday.