It's been an unusual offseason for Pittsburgh Steelers fans who follow the draft closely. Since Mike Tomlin stepped down as head coach, it's been hard to get a feel for which players this team might target in Round 1. New head coach Mike McCarthy and general manager Omar Khan barely hit the Pro Day scouting trail this year, making it hard to glean where their interests lie.
But that all changed when a fan-favorite pre-draft visit was announced.
On Thursday, Mike DeFabo of The Athletic reported that the Steelers are hosting some big names for pre-draft visits. USC star receiver Makai Lemon was set to meet with the team, as was Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren and Michigan tight end Marlin Klein.
While the visit with McNeil-Warren proves that a safety could be in play at pick No. 21, the visit with Lemon is what most fans were hoping to see.
Makai Lemon is now an official option for the Pittsburgh Steelers in Round 1 after 30 visit
If historical trends continue, and the Steelers only draft players in Round 1 who they either met with at their Pro Day or hosted for a 30-visit, then Lemon just checked the box to become a potential first-round selection by Pittsburgh.
Though Lemon lacks ideal size (5'11 1/8'', 192 pounds) and isn't an elite athlete, he makes up for his shortcomings with exceptional natural football ability, strong hands, and the ability to chew up yards after the catch. Lemon is exactly the type of receiver the Steelers have been missing on offense.
Unfortunately, it's a longshot to believe the Steelers will land Lemon organically at pick No. 21.
Both mock drafts and the latest buzz from NFL Draft experts suggest that Lemon will be long off the board before the Steelers are on the clock—possibly to the Los Angeles Rams at pick No. 13. Because of this, Omar Khan may be required to trade up for the talented receiver, if this is the player the team has their heart set on.
Thankfully, the Steelers have loads of draft capital to work with this year, and giving up a second-rounder (or potentially more) wouldn't break their draft with 12 total selections on hand.
At the very least, Lemon's pre-draft visit with the Steelers confirms that the go-to receiver is on Pittsburgh's draft radar. So far, Lemon is one of only four potential first-round prospects to earn a 30 visit with the Steelers, joining McNeil-Warren, Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston, and San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson.
Lemon is considered the best prospect of the group, and it's possible that he's Pittsburgh's top target ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.