Kaleb Johnson is one of many Hawkeyes drafted by Omar Khan
by Bo Marchionte
@bomarchionte | College2Pro.com
Published April 28, 2026, 7:49 AM
Steelers General Manager Omar Khan didn’t exactly have his finest week in the public eye.
What should have been a routine draft moment turned into a viral misfire, a chaotic sequence involving USC wide receiver Makai Lemon that spread across social media within minutes. Lemon was on the phone with Khan, believing he was about to become a Steeler, only to be handed another phone moments later this time by the Eagles, who ultimately made the pick.
In a league built on precision and control, it was anything but. The clip made the rounds quickly, not because it was shocking, but because it exposed the one thing NFL teams try to hide at all costs – Failure.
And failure has a smell. It lingered over the Steelers’ entire draft.
In a business where failure is rarely acknowledged publicly, this class carried a subtle residue of “almost.” Armed with three third-round selections, Pittsburgh sat in a position where aggression could have changed the narrative. As talent began to slide and names came off the board, there were windows, real ones, to move up and secure impact players.
Because the reality is simple, the longer you wait, the less likely the difference-makers are still there.
Yet while the headlines focused on what didn’t happen, there’s a quieter trend worth noting one that continues to define Khan’s approach since taking over in 2022.
Iowa.
Not Alabama. Not Georgia. Not the usual draft-board royalty like the Ohio State Buckeyes or Michigan Wolverines.
Instead, it’s the steady, unglamorous pipeline built in Iowa City under longtime head coach Kirk Ferentz. A program that doesn’t sell flash but consistently delivers function.
Ferentz, who has been in place since 1999, has quietly turned the Iowa Hawkeyes football into one of the most reliable developmental systems in college football. Offensive linemen, tight ends, disciplined defenders players who may not dominate headlines on draft night but find ways to stick, contribute, and eventually start on Sundays.
That’s where Khan’s eye has drifted.
While the league chases traits and upside from the blue-blood factories, Pittsburgh continues to dip into a program built on fundamentals, toughness, and repeatable execution. It’s not always the sexy pick. It’s not always the one that trends.
But it’s consistent.
And after a week where consistency felt fleeting, that might be exactly what the Steelers are betting on.
Iowa Hawkeyes Draft by Steelers GM Omar Khan
2023
None
2024
Round 6 | Logan Lee | DE
2025
Round 3 | Kaleb Johnson | RB
Round 5 | Yahya Black | DT
2026
Round 3 | Gennings Dunker | G
Round 4 | Kaden Wetjen | WR
Photo Credit Frank Hyatt/College2Pro.com
