Steelers tactic of calling draft prospects early isn't new for GM Omar Khan
The Pittsburgh Steelers attempted to secure USC prospect Makai Lemon in the 2026 NFL Draft with an early phone call, only to have the Philadelphia Eagles trade up and select him first. This tactic of contacting draft prospects before their selection is not new for Steelers General Manager Omar Khan. The team previously used the same strategy in 2025 to successfully draft defensive tackle Derrick Harmon.
- ▪The Steelers tried to call Makai Lemon before selecting him in the 2026 NFL Draft but were foiled by the Eagles trading up.
- ▪Omar Khan, the Steelers' GM, used a similar early-call strategy in 2025 with Derrick Harmon, which resulted in a successful pick.
- ▪NFL writer Mike Sando, cited by Mike DeFabo, confirmed the Steelers have employed this tactic before.
- ▪The early-call approach aims to lock in a prospect before other teams can make a move.
- ▪The article suggests missing out on Lemon might ultimately be a blessing in disguise for Pittsburgh.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Yahoo Sports.