Khan prioritizes production over athleticism (avg 50th percentile)
The Steelers FO represents a fascinating transition from the Kevin Colbert era to Omar Khan's vision. Khan came up as a contract and salary cap specialist rather than a scout, so he wisely paired himself with Andy Weidl - a product of Ozzie Newsome's Baltimore scouting tree who runs the scouting operation. The Dan Rooney Jr. presence (grandson of The Chief, son of the late Dan Rooney) provides family continuity in player personnel. Khan's first drafts have been aggressive, particularly the trade up for Broderick Jones and the selection of Joey Porter Jr. (graded A+ by Yahoo). The addition of Sheldon White (former Lions interim GM) as director of pro scouting brings veteran experience. The scouting department has significant ex-player representation: Mark Bruener (1st round TE, 1995), Chidi Iwuoma (Super Bowl XL), Zack Crockett (13-year NFL FB). The hiring of Max Gruder from Philadelphia strengthens the Weidl connection. Cole Marcoux has taken over Khan's old salary cap duties, freeing him for more scouting. The challenge is that Khan has limited scouting background himself, making Weidl's role crucial - and Weidl is a perennial GM candidate who may leave.