The Pittsburgh Steelers had a viral error during the 2026 NFL Draft when they tried to draft wide receiver Makai Lemon before it was actually their turn, and they lost him in the process. However, all reports said that there was no panic in the building and the team selected a player that they thought very high of as well: offensive tackle Max Iheanachor. Despite the desperate need for wideout, General Manager Omar Khan opted to not reach for the next best option at that position and instead went for a high-risk high-reward project.
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Steelers' Art Rooney II shakes hands with 2026 first-round pick Max Iheanachor.
Throughout the whole draft process, Iheanachor was seen as a late first-round pick or an early second-round pick. That's why it seemed like a panic move when the Philadelphia Eagles traded up to steal Lemon away. No one saw the former Arizona State Sun Devils standout getting taken in the high-20s due to his lack of experience and risky nature.
In a recent episode of Forging Steel, Khan spoke about the decision to draft Iheanachor and why the team loved him so much.
"Max really won the spring for us: full process starting with the Senior Bowl to the [NFL Scouting Combine] in April, and the zooms and the interviews," Khan said. "He just really won the spring and grew on us, and [we] got to know him a little bit better and realized quickly that he was a Steeler and our type of player."
One thing that was very clear about Iheanachor's story was his ability to learn quickly. He went from a guy that knew absolutely nothing about offensive line play to being a high-quality right tackle at a Power 5 school in just a couple years. That is exactly what teams want to see when figuring out if they should take a risk on a project player or not, especially with a first-round pick.
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Steelers new offensive lineman Max Iheanachor before a game in college during his time with Arizona State.
Iheanachor's ability to learn combined with his physicality and mobility at his size is exactly what made him look like a Steelers type of player to Khan and his staff. He has been working relentlessly to keep growing into this job that he only began working on around five years ago. If his college tape is anything to go off of, he should develop into a high-end starting lineman for Pittsburgh soon enough.
The draft experts can say whatever they want about this selection, but at the end of the day, nobody will complain if Iheanachor reaches his sky-high ceiling at right tackle. Khan has put a strong emphasis on building a young, talented offensive line ever since he was first hired to be the general manager. 2026 was no different despite all the rumors swirling around the receiver room.
Steelers' Plan For Iheanachor Is Crystal Clear
Iheanachor has almost exclusively been a right tackle throughout his college career. Despite Pittsburgh's emphasis on versatility, they won't subject the rookie to that. He will sit as a backup in his rookie year and grow into the right tackle position in particular in 2027, he should get his chance to become the full-time starter, but for now, the Steelers will take things slow with him.
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Steelers offensive tackle Max Iheanachor going through drills at rookie minicamp on May 8, 2026.
The Steelers are already preparing for that time, as they have completely flipped the offensive line just so their first-round rookie will be able to play his natural position. Standout right tackle Troy Fautanu will be exclusively playing left tackle for the rest of his career most likely. Meanwhile, Dylan Cook will be the new starter in that spot until Iheanachor is ready, and then he will have to find a new team.
What do you think about Iheanachor winning the spring and making the Steelers fall in love with him? Do you think he was the right pick? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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