As the offseason went on, Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor was a guy who picked up a ton of steam as a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. So much so that when the Steelers went on the clock with the No. 21 overall pick, they selected Iheanachor as the sixth offensive tackle of the round.

If you polled most Steelers fans over the last two months, most would not have had offensive tackle above wide receiver or guard in the first round. Most will say trust the process and trust the front office as GM Omar Khan as had success drafting offensive linemen. Meanwhile, the Steelers have two good wide receivers and one starting guard on the team.

The Steelers have four picks on Friday and after drafting a player who is a project in Iheanachor, these picks become even more important for a team with some glaring needs at other spots. We hope the Steelers can add a wide receiver and guard at minimum in those four picks and a cornerback would be an excellent bonsu.

My knee-jerk reaction when I heard the pick was frustration. I don't have Iheanachor in the sale class as the other offensive tackles who were picked and don't see where he adds the type of value the team got with Troy Fautanu, Zach Fraizer or Broderick Jones. At the same time, we recognize his ceiling is high if he continues to grow as a player. Overall, I'll give the pick a B- and hope I am underestimating Iheanachor's potential or how quickly he can develop.

This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: 3 big takeaways from the Steelers selection of OT Max Iheanachor