The Pittsburgh Steelers promoted Omar Khan to general manager to replace Kevin Colbert in 2022. Andy Weidl was then hired, Khan's main competitor for the position, as the assistant GM and it cemented an impressive partnership. The dynamic duo produced the best Steelers draft class in over a decade in 2023 and gave Mike Tomlin the tools he needed to return to the AFC playoffs.
youtube / pittsburgh steelers
As the team's general manager, Steelers' Omar Khan made several splash moves in his first entire offseason at the helm.
Khan and Weidl are getting a second chance to produce similar results when the NFL Combine kicks off on Thursday. The current crop of defensive line prospects is set to work out for all 32 NFL teams. They will run the 40-yard dash and perform agility drills, followed by strength tests. Prospects will also be weighed, measured, and sit for interviews with various teams to assess their ability to fit in with the culture of whatever team selects them in the April NFL Draft.
Dulac: Steelers' Cameron Heyward "Likely" To Be Entering His Final Season In Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh's defensive line is aging. Cam Heyward will be 35 next season. Larry Ogunjobi will be 30 before training camp starts. Keeanu Benton, who will be entering his second season with the Steelers, demonstrated he is ready to take the mantle as the Steelers' best defensive lineman. The only issue with Benton is that Teryl Austin and Tomlin did not use him enough. Khan and Weidl will have to address the position during the 2024 offseason. Here are three players to watch who could be selected in the first round, second day, or third day of the draft to bolster the defensive line.
First Round - Jer'Zhan Newton, University Of Illinois
The 2023 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year is an impressive football player. Jer'Zhan Newton and Byron Murphy II from the Texas Longhorns are the best defensive linemen in the upcoming draft. Newton and Murphy are the only two who play on the interior of the defensive line who are currently projected to go in the first round.
Fightingillini.com
Steelers would pass on the opportunity to draft Jer'Zhan Newton in the latest CBS Sports mock draft.
A tandem of Newton and Benton to split snaps with an aging Heyward and Ogunjobi will give the Steelers impressive depth. It will shore up Pittsburgh's ability to defend the run. Fans may want to see a cornerback or the impressive center Jackson Powers-Johnson as the first name called. If Newton falls to the 20th slot though, Khan and Weidl will have a very tough decision on draft night.
Day Two - T'Vondre Sweat, University Of Texas
During the 2023 NFL Draft, the Steelers tapped into the Wisconsin pipeline to Pittsburgh and brought in Benton. It was a phenomenal pick. When he arrived in Mobile, AL for the Senior Bowl, T'Vondre Sweat did not have name recognition or an extensive national profile. That all changed after he dominated in one-on-one matchups. Sweat is an absolute beast against the run and would fit perfectly next to Benton on the Steelers' defensive line on early downs.
Every T'Vondre Sweat 1-on-1 from the Senior Bowl pic.twitter.com/Yr2OeZ8RNA
— James Foster (@NoFlagsFilm) February 2, 2024
He has a surprising burst for a 362-pound interior lineman and could quickly build on his pass-rushing skill set. Sweat has had stamina issues, but a solid professional strength and conditioning regimen can cure that at the next level. The Steelers' last immovable object in the middle of the defensive line was Casey Hampton, a fellow Texas alumni. If the Steelers call a defensive lineman's name on day two, it will likely be Sweat.
Day Three - Zion Logue, University of Georgia
Pittsburgh has multiple holes that need to be addressed. They could wait until middle or later rounds to attack the defensive line. If they elect to address center, right tackle, and cornerback on the first two days of the draft, the dynamic duo may wait until the draft's final day to bring in a defensive lineman. If that is the case, the Steelers may look to the SEC and the Georgia Bulldogs roster.
Mark J. Rebilas / USA TODAY Sports
Steelers GM Omar Khan could wait until the later rounds of the draft and take on Georgia Bulldogs project, Zion Logue.
Zion Logue was buried behind first-round draft picks Devonte Wyatt, Jordan Davis, and Jalen Carter during his time in Athens, GA. He started all 14 games for Georgia in 2023 in his senior season, but is still a relatively inexperienced defensive line prospect. Logue will be available later in the draft. Despite the talent in front of him, Logue hung in behind three top talents and demonstrated potential in his only season as a starter. He is raw, but the Steelers could find a diamond in the rough in the former Bulldogs backup.
NFL Network will broadcast the defensive linemen workouts on Thursday, February 29th. A lot can change after the defensive line class has its day in the sun. Measurables could come in below or well above expectations, and the next combine phenom could be born. Khan, Weidl, and Tomlin will be watching the action closely to uncover the next gem in what they hope will be a championship crown.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Do you have your eye on a different defensive line prospect? Please comment below or on my Twitter/X: @thebubbasq.
#SteelerNation
