Max Iheanachor was the Pittsburgh Steelers' first-round pick, and there are a lot of reasons to like the decision.
The Steelers understand that while they need to figure out their quarterback situation in the short and long term, having above-average players to protect their quarterback and go out and make plays for them is at the top of the priority list.
The Steelers did just that in the first two rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft, though the focus now is on what the Arizona State product can be throughout his NFL career.
However, while it does add to a very talented unit, there are also some questions about why the Steelers decided to make the pick. Mainly, that's due to Broderick Jones and his future in Pittsburgh.
“Why they picked him: With experience at left and right tackle, Iheanachor offers the Steelers coveted position flexibility, something both coach Mike McCarthy and general manager Omar Khan emphasized Thursday night after making the selection. Iheanachor, who moved to the United States from Nigeria at 13, played basketball and soccer before switching to football later in life, and that background gave him a strong foundation to develop his football footwork. In picking Iheanachor, the Steelers spurned adding a top-tier wide receiver and are instead betting on their ability to develop and mold one of the more raw prospects and help him hit a high ceiling.
“Biggest question: What does this mean for OT Broderick Jones? The Steelers' 2023 first-round pick sustained a season-ending neck injury and had surgery soon after, and his timeline to return is still murky,” Brooke Pryor of ESPN wrote.
I'm all for teams taking offensive line help, especially for a squad like Pittsburgh that has proven it can be one of the better teams in the NFL and compete at the highest level every single year. However, I also understand why the Jones?