The Flyers aren’t the only Philadelphia team getting the best of Pittsburgh this week.
On Thursday night, the Eagles swooped in and grabbed the Steelers’ man.
USC wide receiver Makai Lemon was on the phone with representatives from the Steelers as the Steelers’ pick approached in the first round of Thursday’s NFL draft. At the time of the call, the Dallas Cowboys were on the clock at No. 20 overall — and with the NFL community widely recognizing that Dallas was seeking a player on defense, Lemon was expected to be there for the Steelers.
“First, I answered the phone and it was the Steelers,” Lemon told reporters via video conference late Thursday.
“And then, my phone kept ringing.”
Watch Makai Lemon meet with the media for the first time as a Philadelphia Eagle. #FlyEaglesFlyhttps://t.co/cUlfWNDXTt
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) April 24, 2026
It was someone from the Eagles, who had agreed to a rare intra-division trade with Dallas to grab that 20th overall pick.
Well aware — like all of the NFL community — that the Steelers were in need of a wide receiver, Philadelphia was aggressive in jumping in front of them.
The Eagles seemed to revel in doing so, posting on X, “lol (laugh out loud), go @NHLFlyers.”
The NHL Flyers lead the Penguins three games to none in a first-round NHL playoff series.
lol, go @NHLFlyerspic.twitter.com/sw3Srxjp5n
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) April 24, 2026
In exchange for moving up three spots, the Eagles gave the Cowboys a pair of fourth-round choices (Nos. 114 and 137 overall).
They took Lemon, who in 2025 was a first-team AP All-American and won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top wide receiver.
The Steelers ended up taking Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor.
“Pittsburgh called me and I thought they were going to draft me,” Lemon told the AP, “and then the Eagles called at the same time. I guess it was meant to be. I’m super excited to be in Philly.”
Speaking to reporters in Philadelphia, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman was asked directly if he made the deal with Dallas becuase he thought the Steelers were going to take Lemon.
“We just felt like this was a player that we wanted to go up and get just based on where our board was at that time, where we were picking,” Roseman said. “Just felt like it made a lot of sense based on our board.”
Roseman said the Eagles “immediately” when they get on the clock call the player they intend on drafting. In this case Thursday, it took “a couple minutes” to get a hold of Lemon.
“That hasn’t happened very often,” Roseman said. “The clock got down a little bit lower than we would have liked.”
Lemon was one of 16 prospects on hand in person at the draft site on Pittsburgh’s North Shore. Steelers football operations personnel were set up in their “war room” at the team’s UPMC Rooney Sports Complex facility on the South Side.
Now, the Steelers enter Day 2 of the draft Friday still needing a receiver (or two). Lemon was the third WR off the board Thursday, and two others went in the first round after the Steelers selected Iheanachor.
Lemon was one of 32 prospects the Steelers had hosted for an official visit in the weeks leading up to the draft.
During the Steelers’ annual pre-draft news conference Monday, Lemon was one of the few prospective picks that general manager Omar Khan and coach Mike McCarthy spoke about directly.
“He was outstanding,” Khan said when asked how Lemon represented himself in the meeting with the Steelers, with McCarthy verbalizing agreement.
“He really was,” Khan added. “We (also) had a chance to meet him (at the combine) in Indianapolis. He was here and spent some quality time with him. It was excellent time spent.”
The Steelers traded with the Indianapolis Colts for veteran Michael Pittman Jr and return DK Metcalf at receiver. But they have little else — Roman Wilson (12 career catches in two seasons) and Ben Skowronek (a special-teams ace).
Though the Steelers have four picks in the second and third rounds on Day 2, the field is clearing out in regards to the top receivers. Washington’s Denzel Boston is the only WR remaining among the NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah’s top 48 overall prospects.
As things stand headed into Friday, the Steelers’ next pick is at 53rd overall.
Lemon had 79 catches for 1,156 yards and 13 overall touchdowns last season. He’s viewed as the likely successor in Philadelphia for three-time second-team All Pro A.J. Brown, who is expected to be traded.
“I feel like everything happened for a reason,” Lemon said. “They traded up, so it means a lot that they really want me. So I’m all in, and they’re going to get everything that I got.”