For the third time in four years, the Pittsburgh Steelers went with an offensive tackle as their first-round draft pick.
Arizona State’s Max Iheanachor was the Steelers’ selection at No. 21 overall Thursday night.
Though he was the sixth offensive tackle taken, Iheanachor is believed to have among the highest ceilings of any player at his position in this draft. Standing 6-foot-5 7/8 inches and weighing 321 pounds, Iheanachor is regarded as raw but with an elite skill set.
“When we were winding down this week, he frankly just kept climbing up our boards,” coach Mike McCarthy said.
Iheanachor grew up in Nigeria and was not exposed to American football. He did not play the sport until junior college before landing at Arizona State in 2023. Pressed into action quickly because of injuries, Iheanachor started 31 college games, including 26 over the past two seasons.
In 2024, it was for a College Football Playoff-qualifying team and while helping to block for Heisman Trophy finalist running back Cam Skattebo.
This past season, according to Pro Football Focus charting, Iheanachor did not allow a sack.
“Our offensive line coaches are bouncing off the wall,” McCarthy added.
All of Iheanachor’s starting experience for the Sun Devils was at right tackle, but it is believed he can play left tackle in the NFL.
“Lots of options there,” general manager Omar Khan said. “Lots of options.
“We feel really great that (Iheanachor) was still there when we were picking.”
The Steelers’ incumbent starting left tackle, Broderick Jones, suffered a season-ending neck injury this past November, and he has still not been fully cleared. On the depth chart at the position for the Steelers is Dylan Cook, a former junior college quarterback who at 28 years old made his NFL debut after Jones went down and made five starts down the stretch.
Jones was the Steelers’ first-round pick in 2023, with now-starting right tackle Troy Fautanu their top draft choice the following year. Last season, the Steelers in the first round took a defensive tackle in Derrick Harmon.
In the first draft with McCarthy as coach, the Steelers went again to the line but this time back on offense. McCarthy calls his own plays and was hired in large part because of his offensive acumen.
That is just part of why the Steelers were widely expected to address one of three positions on offense with their first pick: tackle, guard or wide receiver.
The options at each thinned quickly during a brisk first round Thursday, the first since the NFL reduced the time allotted between picks by 20% to eight minutes.
About a half hour before the Steelers took Iheanachor, one of the Steelers’ top potential targets went to their biggest rival when the Baltimore Ravens took Penn State’s Olaivavega Ioane. Ioane was by far regarded as the best pure guard available in this draft.
A pair of linemen designated as tackles who some believe could end up at guard — Utah’s Spencer Fano and Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor — also were taken well before the Steelers went on the clock, to the Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins, respectively.
Three other offensive tackles likewise were off the board: the New York Giants took Miami’s Francis Mauigoa at No. 10, seven picks later the Detroit Lions grabbed Blake Miller of Clemson and at 19th overall the Carolina Panthers went with Georgia’s Monroe Freeling.
As expected, none of the consensus top three wide receivers made it down to the Steelers — though it was close. USC’s Makai Lemon came off the board one pick before the Steelers going on the clock, to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Perhaps in recognition of the Steelers’ need of a WR, Philadelphia traded for that pick just in front of them.
The Tennessee Titans grabbed Ohio State’s Carnell Tate at No. 4 overall, and the New Orleans Saints took Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson four picks later.
Armed with a league-most 12 picks, Khan said the phone lines were active with discussions about moving up in the first round. That never materialized, though, and the Steelers stood pat to nab Iheanachor.
“When (the Steelers scouting staff) got to our February (scouting) meetings, and that’s when (Iheanachor) really grabbed our attention,” Khan said. “And he just kept getting better and better for us.”