The Philadelphia Eagles just made a pick that won't sit well with Pittsburgh Steelers fans. With the No. 20 overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Eagles selected USC star wide receiver Makai Lemon.
This came after two wide receivers flew off the board in the first eight picks of the draft -- Ohio State's Carnell Tate to the Tennessee Titans at pick No. 4 and Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson to the New Orleans Saints at pick No. 8. Lemon was the best remaining receiver on the board and one of Pittsburgh's top targets.
Now that dream is officially dead.
Just when it looked like the Steelers were going to get a shot at the USC star, the Eagles swooped in with a trade-up deal with the Dallas Cowboys to pick No. 20 -- poaching Lemon one pick before Pittsburgh was on the clock.
What hurts even worse is that the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens, two AFC North rivals, each landed excellent offensive linemen -- Spencer Fano and Olaivavega Ioane, respectively. Lemon was the player fans hoped would still be available. Now he's gone.
The Pittsburgh Steelers should have made an aggressive trade-up move for Makai Lemon
As Lemon started to slide, general manager Omar Khan missed an opportunity to make an aggressive move for one of the best receivers in the class. The pricetag became extremely manageable once Lemon slipped past the New York Jets at pick No. 16.
This lack of aggressiveness could come back to bite the Steelers.
Lemon, who recorded 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns as a 21-year-old junior in 2025, was the go-to option for the Trojans. He would have been a perfect option in the slot with DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. on the outside.
Beyond that, Lemon would have served as a terrific slot option over the middle of the field for Pittsburgh's future quarterback. They could take a big QB swing during the 2027 NFL Draft, and Lemon would have been a player Mike McCarthy could have built his passing offense around.
The Steelers ultimately stood pat and selected Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor with the No. 21 overall pick in Round 1. After selecting offensive tackles in the first round of the 2023 and 2024 NFL Drafts, fans didn't want to see a third offensive tackle pick in the last four years.
It stings to see the Philadelphia Eagles jump ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers to take the top remaining player on the board at a major positional need.
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