The Pittsburgh Steelers made their first round pick with the selection of Max Iheanachor at No. 21 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, albeit in front of a hometown crowd just outside Acrisure Stadium. It will be the first of 12 picks the Steelers will make, the most of any other team in the draft.
Iheanachor is an interesting pick for the Steelers, considering they’ve been patiently waiting on Aaron Rodgers to make his decision on whether or not to return for another season in Pittsburgh.
Drafting an offensive tackle was a definite need for the Steelers, even if Iheanachor’s pick was one of the more surprising picks in the first round. However, it could be yet another move by new head coach Mike McCarthy to entice Rodgers to make a return.
Steelers Continue Investing Heavily In Offensive Line
Even before Thursday night, offensive tackle had become a growing need for Pittsburgh. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, left tackle Broderick Jones suffered a setback related to the neck injury he dealt with last season, creating questions about his availability for training camp and potentially the start of the regular season.
The Steelers also lost veteran guard Isaac Seumalo in free agency after he signed a three-year, $31.5 million deal with the Arizona Cardinals. While Iheanachor projects as a tackle, Pittsburgh’s front office clearly saw the need to keep adding talent up front.
With the selection, the Steelers have now used first-round picks on offensive linemen three times in four years. They previously selected Broderick Jones at No. 14 overall in 2023 and Troy Fautanu at No. 20 overall in 2024. That trend speaks to a larger organizational philosophy: build through the trenches and give the offense a stronger foundation.
Iheanachor brings notable experience with him from Arizona State. He appeared in 32 games over three seasons and logged more than 2,100 snaps. In 2025, he earned a 72.5 overall offensive grade from PFF, ranking 68th among 632 tackles. He also allowed only three sacks during his college career.
However, born in Nigeria, he was a basketball player all throughout high school, not moving to the United States until he was 13-years-old. He didn’t play football until his first year at junior college at East Los Angeles.
How Max Iheanachor Could Impact Aaron Rodgers Decision
The biggest storyline surrounding Pittsburgh remains Rodgers. The veteran quarterback has yet to publicly commit to returning, leaving the Steelers in limbo as they try to balance win-now urgency with long-term planning.
If Rodgers does come back, adding another young offensive tackle only strengthens the case for Pittsburgh as a viable playoff team. Protection has to be a priority for any team with an aging quarterback, and the Steelers just invested heavily in that idea.
If Rodgers declines to return, the pick still makes sense. Pittsburgh can continue building the roster around last year’s sixth-round pick Will Howard or another quarterback option later in the draft. Either way, the selection carries value beyond one season.
The Steelers have made the playoffs five times in the last six years, but they have not won a playoff game since 2017. This move suggests they understand simply being competitive is no longer enough. They need to raise the ceiling of the roster.
Pittsburgh is next scheduled to pick at No. 53 overall in the second round.
Steelers Draft Max Iheanachor: What It Means for Aaron Rodgers Decision