When the dust settled on Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft, many Pittsburgh Steelers fans were hanging their heads. It was quickly reported that Makai Lemon was the player Omar Khan and the front office were going to take at pick No. 21, and when the Eagles jumped in front of the Steelers to nab the USC star, it felt like the ultimate gut punch.
In the panic, the Steelers were forced to quickly pivot to Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor. This was a reach on the consensus board, and we pictured disappointment from Pittsburgh's war room after Khan's lack of aggressiveness caused the team to miss out on its top target.
But disappointment wasn't the reaction of the front office.
On the latest episode of ESPN's Get Up, Peter Schrager made some comments that should put every Steelers fan's mind at ease. Schrager claims that Pittsburgh had Iheanachor 'very high' on their draft board and that talk in the facility was about whether the ASU prospect would be there for their pick at No. 21 overall.
"The Steelers, though, don't feel like they missed out on Jerry Rice right now. They also had their pick, the Arizona State tackle, very high on their board. So much so that Bill Cowher and Pat McAfee and those guys were at the Steelers' facility yesterday, and they're saying all they were talking about was the Arizona State tackle and if he would be there.
So did Howie Roseman make a canny move, do some real great acrobatics here, and get Makai Lemon? Yes. Did the Steelers become the big losers of the night by not getting Makai Lemon? I don't think so, but this is one we'll be watching for many years..."
Pittsburgh Steelers fans should feel betting knowing Omar Khan didn't panic with Max Iheanachor pick
We can assume there was at least a brief state of disappointment when the Eagles took Lemon one pick ahead of the Steelers. After all, Khan was on the phone with the USC star as the Eagles called in and pulled the rug out from under Pittsburgh.
But that hardly means they are disappointed with the Iheanachor pick.
While Lemon may have been the grand prize, the team's decision-makers were clearly pleased by their selection, according to Schrager's report. Khan noted in his press conference after Day 1 that they didn't want to trade away from Iheanachor when they were on the clock at pick No. 21.
Khan has been vocal about loving the trenches, so this shouldn't come as a surprise. Iheanachor comes at a premium position at offensive tackle, and he's arguably the most athletic player in the 2026 class at his position.
The Arizona State offensive lineman is hardly a finished product, but he's got all the talent and tools to succeed at the next level. The Pittsburgh Steelers are at least building their roster the right way—from the ground up, starting in the trenches.
Fans don't have to agree with every decision this team makes, but we can at least take comfort in the fact that the front office did their homework on Max Iheanachor and that they don't feel like they missed out on something much greater with Makai Lemon.
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