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Pittsburgh Steelers charged with making one of worst value picks of 2026 NFL Draft
TL;DR
The Pittsburgh Steelers faced criticism for their No. 21 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after losing out on wide receiver Makai Lemon to the Philadelphia Eagles. They ultimately selected offensive tackle Max Iheanachor, which has been labeled as one of the worst value picks of the draft.
Key points
- Pittsburgh Steelers criticized for 2026 NFL Draft pick
- Steelers lost out on Makai Lemon to Philadelphia Eagles
- Max Iheanachor labeled as one of the worst value picks
Pittsburgh SteelersPhiladelphia EaglesDallas CowboysMakai Lemon
Pittsburgh Steelers charged with making one of worst value picks of 2026 NFL Draft originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Pittsburgh Steelers thought they had their No. 21 overall pick locked in, until they didn't.
The Steelers were on the phone with wide receiver Makai Lemon and thought they had him in their grasp until the Philadelphia Eagles swooped in at the last minute, pulling off a move up to No. 20 with the Dallas Cowboys of all teams to steal Lemon.
That forced Pittsburgh to pivot to offensive tackle Max Iheanachor, and that pick led to The Sporting News' Daniel Mader calling the Arizona State product one of the worst value picks in the draft.
"Even if the Steelers wanted a receiver after missing out on Lemon, either of KC Concepcion or Denzel Boston would have been great fall-back options," Mader explained.
"Instead, Iheanachor, still relatively newer to football, may have fallen into the late-20s had the Steelers not taken him," Mader added. "That isn't to say this couldn't be a great pick someday — the lineman brings some speed and good movement skills to the NFL — but he's also a project player who needs time to develop. There's no guarantee that Iheanachor is ready to take on an NFL starting role as a rookie."
Q&A
Why was Max Iheanachor considered one of the worst value picks in the 2026 NFL Draft?
Max Iheanachor was criticized for being a poor value pick after the Steelers missed out on their preferred choice, Makai Lemon, leading to doubts about their selection strategy.
What happened with the Steelers' No. 21 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft?
The Steelers intended to select wide receiver Makai Lemon but were outmaneuvered by the Philadelphia Eagles, who traded up to pick him at No. 20.
Who were the alternative options for the Steelers after losing Makai Lemon?
After missing out on Lemon, the Steelers could have considered receivers KC Concepcion or Denzel Boston as viable alternatives.