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Max Iheanachor, an Arizona State offensive tackle, was unexpectedly drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2026 NFL Draft. His college coach, Saga Tuitele, reflects on Iheanachor's journey from junior college to a notable player in the FBS.
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STARKVILLE, MS - SEPTEMBER 06: Arizona State offensive line coach Saga Tuitele during the college football game between the Arizona State Sun Devils and Mississippi State Bulldogs on September 6, 2025, at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi. (Photo by Andy Altenburger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
While most had Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor in the first-round conversation entering the 2026 NFL Draft, not many thought that the Pittsburgh Steelers would be the team to take him off the board ā not even Iheanachorās college coach.
This week, I had the pleasure of chatting with Saga Tuitele, Arizona Stateās offensive line coach, who joined the Sun Devils from Fresno State in 2022. Tuitele coached Iheanachor for every season the latter spent in the FBS, from 2023-2025.
Tuitele was still on the Bulldogsā staff when he first discovered Iheanachor, who was then a junior college tackle fresh into his football career. Iheanachor was born in Nigeria and didnāt move to the United States until he was 13. He played soccer growing up and didnāt switch to football until college ā but under Tuiteleās coaching at ASU, Iheanachor finished his 2025 season Second Team All-Big 12.
I chatted with Tuitele about discovering Iheanachor while scouting a different lineman, his reaction to the Steelersā pick, and what has stood out about Iheanachor as a player and person.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Ryland Bickley: We all kind of assumed that Max was going to be a first-round pick, but he wasnāt really mocked to end up in Pittsburgh. Did him landing with the Steelers shock you at all? Or did you kind of see that coming?
Max Iheanachor was named Second Team All-Big 12 in his final season at Arizona State.
Max Iheanachor grew up playing soccer in Nigeria and switched to football after moving to the United States at age 13.
Saga Tuitele is the offensive line coach at Arizona State who coached Max Iheanachor throughout his college football career from 2023 to 2025.
Many analysts did not expect the Pittsburgh Steelers to draft Max Iheanachor, despite him being in the first-round conversation for the 2026 NFL Draft.
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Saga Tuitele: No, honestly, I didnāt see it coming. You know, you see the projections and stuff like that, but I didnāt think it was going to be the Steelers. Itās funny, we were standing next to each other, and when his phone rang, whoever called him from the Steelers had a Philadelphia number. So I was like, āOh sā-, the Eagles, here we go,ā you know? And then, they had moved up in the draft.
I was like, āOK, itās goingā and then they drafted someone else. I was like, āWhoa, what the hell.ā And then Max motioned to grab the Steelers hat. And I was like, āOh, OK.ā So I had no, no idea that they were going to draft him. And you never really do, but it was awesome,
RB: I was curious, how connected were the Steelers to Max leading up to the draft? Like, do you think that having Hines Ward on staff at ASU helped them get info on him at all, or was there not too much to read into there?
ST: No, I donāt know. I mean, most of the teams are very professional. I will say that I know I talked to the scouts multiple occasions throughout their process, from his junior year all the way through. But honestly, Iām assuming they leaned on Hines a little bit. But like I said, they played it close to the vest. And I donātĀ remember seeing anybody saying that they were gonna pick him back at that pick.
RB: Moving back a bit, reading up on Max was really cool. I mean, as you obviously know, he didnāt play football growing up, then he goes the JUCO route. Tell me a bit about how you found him at East Los Angeles College.
ST: Well, I was looking at someone else, honestly. I was at Fresno State at the time, and you know, we were looking for an older tackle, more experienced. We were in the middle of our Mountain West championship run that year, and we were going to lose some seniors. So we were looking for an older tackle, and on his team, there was a young man on the team that had some experience and then itās just like, āWell, who the hell is that kid over there?Ā ā
And it was just, you know, big athlete that didnāt really know what he was doing, but you can tell had some good balance, good feet, obviously, the good size. He wasnāt as thick as he is now, but, you know, good, big calves, the big size, and the big backside and long arms. And if you put some weight on this kid and he figures it out, he might be something special.
So, you know, just getting to know the kid and seeing what his drive was, I think, kind of put it all together.
RB: When you first brought Max into practice, when did you really realize that you had a future starter in him?
ST: His ability to move, his quickness, you know, and he has natural power. But just when you see him move, and a big man like that in drills ā now, remember, he was raw, so he didnāt know what heās doing. And so you had to really focus on, āOK, what can he do?ā I mean, itās easy to point out what the kid canāt do ā he canāt do this, he canāt do this. Thatās easy. Anybody can do it.
But, you know, I thought we did a great job of, āOK, what can he do?ā He can move his feet. He can stay pretty balanced, you know, he doesnāt overextend. OK, letās focus on that and give him confidence in that part of it, instead of figuring out what he canāt do.
And then, once we realize athletically that he can change direction and he can bend his knees a little bit. And again, I use that term ābalance,ā and he just, he always got a good feel of being off ā whether he was overextended, or whether he was getting pushed back, he always found himself back to a strong position.
So, you know, we also knew itās gonna take a while, because of where he came from. But, we thought we were spot on in our evaluation of him, as long as he had that same drive, which he did.
RB: For sure. And he got a pretty early start for you guys in 2023, right?
ST: Yeah, injuries, and it was our first year on staff with that team, at Arizona State. And we knew we had some injuries and he had to thrust into, I think it was Game 2, Oklahoma State, and (we) said, āAlright, Max, itās like practice.ā And, you know, he took it and I think he did a good job of overcoming some of the tough things that happened to him.
RB: Iām not sure if you read any of them, but thereās like a million scouting reports about Max online. You know, draft season is this crazy media circus. But, is there a part of his game or something that you feel like people havenāt really talked about a lot in this draft cycle?
ST: No, I mean, Iāve seen some of them, and I think itās spot on. I mean, heās got big hands. I think his football IQ is further along than what people think. In some of the Senior Bowl stuff ā and just even, our offense is pretty complex ā and so for him to pick it up, and for him to be able to do what he did at a high level. ā¦
But I think the term ārawā is by timeline only. You know, he can call our offense just like if he was the center; he can make all the blocking calls and stuff like that. So, probably a little bit, you know, the whole ārawā thing was just because he started so late in football.
RB: Most of my questions have been about Max as a player, but I did want to ask about Max as a person. I mean, I listened to his starting presser with the Steelers. He just seemed really down to earth and like a cool guy. I mean, what kind of person is Pittsburgh getting? Do you have a favorite memory of hanging out with Max?
ST: You know, the first time I met him, he said his name, and I just was like, āWhatās your name? How do you say it?ā And then, myself having a unique last name and first name as well. And I just remember him saying his name and he and I talking about the importance of pride in our last names.
I said itās unique. And I said, donāt feel disrespected if a coach or a person mispronounces your name; they donāt know. Same thing is, you know, donāt be afraid to correct them on the correction of your name. So I just remember having that conversation with him. I said, āMan, you are Max Iheanachor.ā And just, you know, smiling about it. Just like, my name is a little bit unique.
And so you get a guy whoās gonna give it his all. Heās great. Heās grateful being here. Heās grateful (for) the opportunity to play football, and, you know, I know heās going to give it his all for his city and for his team. And the thing that Max is, is heās driven like he wants to be the best, and everything that weāve asked him to do, and every obstacle that heās been thrown, heās been able to overcome it.
I think one of his best attributes is the ability to respond through good and bad. So I think youāre getting the kid that loves ball, loves where heās at, appreciated where heās at, and he was gonna give it hisĀ all and fit in and make the Steeler nation proud.
RB: In that same presser, the Steelers head coach (Mike McCarthy) kept talking about how important versatility was on his O-line. I know that Max was primarily a right tackle for you guys, but how versatile is he? Where can he fit in on this line?
ST: He can play in both positions. You know, he can play right or left tackle. Max is the kind of kid, if coach wants him to play guard, heāll jump right in and heāll fight, and heāll figure it out. So I think his versatility, and because (of) his football IQ ā and he knows what to do and how to do it ā and he knows how to learn, he knows how to do a lot of that stuff. I think thatās going to help him.
RB: Where do you hope to see Max take his game next, now that heās in the NFL?
ST: Well, I know heās going to continue to strive to be the best, and heās going to have some lumps, but Iām not worried about the lumps, because you canāt grow without the lumps, and heās able to respond to that.
So, you know, all I hope is that he stays healthy and he continues to improve and make Steeler nation proud, because thatās what his mindset is. He wants to make sure that heās representing his family and his junior college and his Arizona State, but also Steeler nation.
You can read more about Saga Tuiteleās work at Arizona State here.