By now, it’s no secret that the Pittsburgh Steelers got sniped. Picking at No. 21, Steelers GM Omar Khan was on the phone with USC WR Makai Lemon, prepared to draft him. But then, Lemon got a call from Eagles GM Howie Roseman, whose team had just traded with the Cowboys at No. 20 to jump Pittsburgh and draft Lemon, one of the top receivers in the draft.
Instead, the Steelers pivoted to Arizona State OT Max Iheanachor, a massive tackle with extremely high upside. In the second round, Pittsburgh drafted Alabama WR Germie Bernard, an excellent compliment to their current core.
Pittsburgh Steelers GM Omar Khan on the Viral Phone Call with WR Makai Lemon
GettyPITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – APRIL 24: 21st pick Max Iheanachor of the Pittsburgh Steelers points on stage prior to Round Two of the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium on April 24, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
“Yeah, you know, when the draft happens, there’s a lot of excitement that goes on,” Khan said in his post-draft press conference. “There was no ill intent. You know, [we] made the call. But as I mentioned, we have a good process, and you trust your board, and the draft throws curveballs at you in every round. Trust me, it happens throughout the draft — some public, some not. And things just sorta take care of themselves.”
“Well I think Omar just answered the question,” Steelers HC Mike McCarthy said on how he feels his team addressed the receiver position later in the draft after missing on Lemon at No. 21. “You have to trust your board. I’ve always looked at the draft boards similar to calling [plays in] a huge game. But obviously with a lot more energy — a lot of time and energy goes into putting that board together.”
“And this weekend, this draft was very refreshing when you see need hit value,” McCarthy continued. “When value hits need. And so when you get down to those picks, you’re usually talking about two, three, four players. But it really did: we did not go into the draft saying we’re gonna take so many offensive players or so many defensive players. We wanted to raise the level of our talent and we’re aware of positions that we would want to add to, and that’s the case with receiver. [Lemon] was right there, and that was a great pick [for the Eagles].”
Scouting Report on New Steelers first-round OT Max Iheanachor
Back on April 1, I had this to say about Iheanachor in my scouting report for NFL Trade Rumors:
“Iheanachor is a coach’s dream from a physical standpoint,” I wrote. “He’s absurdly light on his feet for someone who weighs over 300 pounds — he’s so quick and fluid in his pass sets. He can mirror pass rushers around the edge effortlessly, smoothly staying with his man without overextending himself or playing off-balance. With excellent length for a tackle, Iheanachor can protect his edge effectively, initiating contact and rarely losing the leverage battle.”
“When run blocking, Iheanachor showcases clean movement skills in space, hitting his marks with speed and power,” I continued. “His grip strength is immense and guys don’t break free from him once he locks on. Functional power isn’t an issue for him, both in his anchor and when drive blocking. He can move people off the line of scrimmage, carving lanes to run through, and pass rushers have a difficult time getting through his chest.”
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