The NFL Draft is officially underway with the first round coming to a close. The Pittsburgh Steelers chose to stay in the opening round, selecting Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor at No. 21 overall.
Iheanachor becomes the third offensive lineman taken by the Steelers in the last four years. Even though drafting someone to protect the quarterback was said to be a need heading into the draft, the former Sun Devils selection was still a bit of a surprise.
The Steelers have since received a grade for Iheanachor’s selection and while it’s not the worst, it felt hollow, much like the pick overall.
Steelers Get Mixed Review For Max Iheanachor Pick
CBS Sports’ Mike Renner gave the Steelers a B+ grade for drafting Iheanachor, calling the pick “intriguing.”
“This is definitely not a win-now move, but I like it,” Renner said. “Iheanachor has the most intriguing developmental tools in the draft class, with truly everything you could want to play the tackle position in the NFL. And the kicker: he only started playing football five years ago. For the Steelers, they won’t necessarily need him to start Year 1 with Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu already set at tackle.”
Saying the Steelers are not in a “win-now” mode is not exactly surprising. For one, the Steelers still do not know who their starting quarterback will be in 2026. They are currently still waiting on Aaron Rodgers to make his decision. If the 42-year-old declines to return, the reins likely move to last year’s sixth-round pick, Will Howard.
There is also the fact that for the first time in 19 years, it will be a new regime in Pittsburgh after the departure of Mike Tomlin and Mike McCarthy taking over.
Finally, Iheanachor could be the beginning of the Steelers getting younger. The team currently has a number of players who are 30 years old or older on the roster.
“The Steelers are old. By snap-weighted age, only the Commanders were older last season,” ESPN’s Ben Solak said.
Steelers Missed On Makai Lemon Before Picking Iheanachor
Iheanachor apparently was not the Steelers’ initial pick at No. 21 overall. Like many projected, they were going after USC wide receiver Makai Lemon. Then the Philadelphia Eagles traded up and snatched him right out from under them.
“The Dallas Cowboys were on the clock at 20, with everyone knowing they were going defense,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said. “Pittsburgh Steelers get on the phone with Makai Lemon, planning to select him next at 21. Except what they didn’t know is the Eagles actually traded up over them. They were trying to get in touch with Lemon but he wasn’t answering because he was already on the phone with the Steelers.
“In the end, the Eagles do the trade, they get Makai Lemon. And the Steelers grab a tackle right after.”
Pittsburgh was likely looking to bolster its receiver room after adding Michael Pittman Jr. in free agency. That would have given them a nasty trio of DK Metcalf, Pittman and Lemon that would have been a nightmare for opposing defenses.
Instead, the Steelers get someone for the future as a protector for their future quarterback — whoever that may be. It may not seem like the ideal pick now, but it could later.
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