Just because you don't get the "draft steal" like many thought the Pittsburgh Steelers would luck out with by taking Makai Lemon doesn't mean it's all bad news. The team clearly got embarrassed when they were on the phone with Lemon, and when the Eagles jumped in front of their pick and stole the standout prospect.
The wide receiver harped on that story for weeks, and it remains a black eye for the franchise.
After that troublesome setback, the Steelers eventually landed with Max Iheanachor in the first round. The young offensive tackle appears to be a strong option to be a long-term solution on the right side of the offensive line. Missing out on Lemon at the time was a tough pill to swallow, but it might be working out.
Things could change in a hurry, but Pittsburgh might've dodged a bullet by missing out.
Since getting picked by the Eagles, Lemon has struggled to stay on the field. He has missed every practice due to a nagging hamstring injury. Those issues can take a long time to heal, and it has forced Lemon to miss important reps for a rookie. The playmaker should still become a top wide receiver for the Eagles, but his injury-riddled start to his first pro season will set him back.
Pittsburgh Steelers draft flub of Makai Lemon makes them look lucky after a slow start
Not only did Lemon miss the Eagles' training camp portion, but he also missed individual workouts on the side, and he missed minicamp and OTAs. Those are valuable reps for a first-year player, especially one who will be counted on early and often by a Philadelphia offense that is trying to replace A.J. Brown.
It won't be easy for Lemon to hop on a moving train and catch up to speed before the regular season begins.
Don't be shocked if Lemon misses more time with his hamstring problem, which will only put him further behind the eight ball. You can't foresee injuries when you draft a player, as the Steelers have seen with Iheanachor. In their case, at least the offensive tackle has participated in training camp and offseason activities before suffering a slight injury setback in the past week.
Only time will tell if the Steelers get out of the woods regarding the potential haunt of missing out on Makai Lemon at the NFL Draft. It certainly didn't give their organization positive publicity at the time, but for now, things are working in their favor.
Missing as much time as Lemon has could be a potential death sentence to his rookie campaign if the Steelers ended up drafting him.
The Eagles will be more lenient with Lemon as they need the wide receiver to help their offense from the jump. Pittsburgh has other weapons on offense, and Aaron Rodgers would probably hate the idea of a rookie without any practice reps jumping on the field in Week 1.
Thus far, things are working out in the Steelers' favor with this saga, but Lemon could still end up having a fantastic career ahead of him.
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