Don’t put too much stock into a Steelers Pro Day dinner

The Pittsburgh Steelers are out on the Pro Day trail, scouting as many players as possible before the 2025 NFL Draft on the horizon. It is at this time when fans will read about the Steelers brass, General Manager (GM) Omar Khan and head coach Mike Tomlin, dining with a specific athlete prior to their Pro Day workouts.

As you can imagine, if the fan base doesn’t feel the prospect they are meeting with is worthy of a Steelers draft selection, they won’t be very happy with the news.

A prime example would be the recent dinner Tomlin and company had with Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe. Here is Milroe talking about the meeting/dinner before he took to the field for his Alabama Pro Day.

Jalen Milroe had dinner with Mike Tomlin last night 🍽️

🎥: @DOrlandoAJC pic.twitter.com/jTo4x0xV1t https://t.co/tmNGzOEYWa

— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) March 19, 2025

As you can imagine, there were numerous fans/media who thought this was a general waste of time, and they let those thoughts be known in every way possible. But the more I thought this was a giant overreaction, I decided to do some very general digging into the Steelers dining habits before past Pro Days.

It took just one simple search on Twitter/X, and here is what I found:

This is Jessie Bates talking about his dinner with Tomlin and company before his Wake Forest Pro Day.

Result: Bates was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals

@SniderFB grad Jessie Bates (@jlbiii3) had dinner with @steelers head coach Mike Tomlin last night, then had an awesome pro day today at Wake Forest. Now being mentioned as a late 1st round pick. Thanks to the fellas at WFMY for the video hook-up! @snider_pride @SniderAthletics pic.twitter.com/oQngp06P2Q

— Glenn Marini (@GlennMariniWANE) March 14, 2018

How about the time the Steelers had a meal with several Ohio State linemen, including Paris Johnson Jr., prior to their Pro Day.

Result: The Steelers did not draft an Ohio State lineman

Steelers brass (Mike Tomlin, Omar Khan, Dan Rooney Jr. breaking bread with Ohio State linemen last night #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/Ilsn55qJ0Z

— BlitzburghUSAVideos (@sdextrasmedia) March 22, 2023

How about prior to the 2022 NFL Draft when the Steelers brass went to Cincinnati and ate with Desmond Ridder before his workout?

Result: Ridder was not drafted by the Steelers.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin in Cincinnati watching Desmond Ridder’s pro day. Tomlin took Ridder out for a steak dinner last night. Today he’s spent time with Luke Fickell and QB coach Gino Guidugli. Steelers showing a lot of interest in Ridder. #Bearcats pic.twitter.com/nXfWShm664

— Brandon Saho (@BrandonSaho) March 24, 2022

What’s the point here? The Steelers utilize these meals/meetings not just for draft purposes, but for free agency. There is a reason why the Steelers Pro Scouting team tags along to the NFL Scouting Combine and Pro Days. They don’t necessarily have any input on the draft process, but they also realize in roughly four years these players could be on the open market in free agency.

Take this as example. In 2017 T.J. Watt wasn’t the first pass rusher taken in the draft, it was the Dallas Cowboys who selected Taco Charlton prior to Watt being selected. However, there was a point when Charlton joined the Steelers in free agency, and Charlton spoke about his dinner with Tomlin before his workout at Michigan.

Charlton said he first met Mike Tomlin at his pro day at Michigan in 2017. Tomlin took him out to dinner. Charlton went two picks ahead of the Steelers’ selection that year — ahead of T.J. Watt.

— Dale Lolley (@dlolley_pgh) November 5, 2021

Here is a similar story from Markus Golden when he joined the Steelers in free agency, also looking back at the time when Tomlin and the Steelers front office staff took him out to dinner before his Pro Day.

Best way to get an inside track to signing with the Steelers in free agency?

Have dinner with Mike Tomlin at your pro day. pic.twitter.com/56NLzj7BS2

— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) May 30, 2023

I’m not suggesting these dinners/meetings are meaningless, but they don’t show a direct correlation to who the team will, or won’t, draft in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft. This is a way for Tomlin and company to take a look at players and get to know them as both a player and a person before they become an official member of the NFL in some capacity.

So, if you want to be up-in-arms over the team meeting and dining with Jalen Milroe, you might want to calm down a bit. A meal doesn’t mean he’ll be drafted.

Be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the rest of free agency and the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft.