The Pittsburgh Steelers are being predicted to land a mammoth lineman.
The Pittsburgh Steelers just won the AFC North division title, but they still have some pretty clear needs heading into the NFL Draft.
The Steelers took care of some of their bigger question marks in free agency, signing cornerback Jamel Dean and safety Jaquan Brisker while also swinging a trade for wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr.
However, holes still remain.
Todd McShay of The Ringer just put together his final mock draft before Day 1 of the NFL Draft on Thursday, and he has Pittsburgh addressing its offensive line by selecting Arizona State tackle Max Iheanachor with the 21st overall pick.
McShay's prediction comes on the heels of the news that Steelers tackle Broderick Jones had a setback in his recovery from spinal fusion surgery, so it would certainly make sense for Pittsburgh to consider a tackle in the first round.
Iheanachor is a 6-foot-6, 330-pounder behemoth who could certainly use some work in terms of using his size and strength to his advantage, but the potential is there.
Max Iheanachor. Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images.The 22-year-old was initially viewed as a Day 2 pick, but his stock has been rising thanks to a tremendous performance at Arizona State's Pro Day. He was also very impressive back at the Senior Bowl.
Iheanachor would still be somewhat of a risky pick due to the volatility of his stock, but there is no question the Steelers need offensive line help, and Iheanachor could be the best tackle available at No. 21 (although McShay does have Utah's Caleb Lomo going to the San Francisco 49ers at No. 27).
Again, Iheanachor is still a bit raw, but his fantastic athleticism combined with his size and strength make him one of the more unique prospects in this class.
If he could ever learn to develop a nasty streak and a mauler's mentality, he could become one of the better tackles in football.
The Steelers have 12 picks in this draft overall, so they will have plenty of opportunity to rectify their most prominent needs, but they may want to get their tackle situation taken care of right away.
We'll see if Pittsburgh takes the risk with Iheanachor on Thursday evening.
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