The Baltimore Ravens just did something no Pittsburgh Steelers fans wanted to see. With the No. 14 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Ravens selected standout Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane.
Not only was Ioane the best player remaining on the board when Baltimore was on the clock, but this was a potential dream pick for Steelers fans. After Isaac Seumalo spurned Pittsburgh for the Arizona Cardinals in free agency, the Steelers have had a gaping hole at left guard. Ioane would have been a perfect replacement.
And just like that, Steelers fans found out how fast that Tyler Loop missed field goal mattered in Week 18 -- a miss that ultimately resulted in the Ravens picking ahead of the Steelers in the 2026 draft. Now, Baltimore has a foundational trench player to build its offensive line around.
The Baltimore Ravens poached one of the Pittsburgh Steelers' draft targets
It's hard enough when an out-of-conference team steals a player the Steelers have their eye on, but it hurts much worse when it's your most hated divisional rival. The Ravens may have already found new life after hiring a young, innovative coaching staff this offseason. Now they followed up their flashy offseason coaching hires with an outstanding pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Ioane can be a road grader in the run blocking game, thanks to his remarkable strength, but he does some of his best work in pass protection. He projects as an instant high-floor starter at guard with upside as a perennial Pro Bowler.
This wasn't unexpected. Leading up to the draft, I wrote about how Vega Ioane was the odds-on favorite to land in Baltimore. Now those pre-draft odds came to fruition.
Now it's time for the Pittsburgh Steelers to move forward and focus on the picks they can control. General manager Omar Khan and the front office have 12 selections to work with and they can still reel in an impressive draft haul. However, there's no question the Ravens' decision to draft one of the safest and best players in the 202t6 draft stings.
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