Max Iheanachor has the chance to put his name on the map with an elite showing at the Senior Bowl next week.
The biggest issue for the Houston Texans in 2025 was their offensive line. CJ Stroud was constantly under pressure, which resulted in a lackluster offense. Their defense was elite enough to make the playoffs, but the offense needs to improve if they want to make it further. One way they can do this is during the 2026 NFL Draft. Fortunately for them, an enticing tackle awaits as a potential round one or two option for them in Arizona State’s Max Iheanachor.
Iheanachor is a mammoth of a prospect, standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing 330 pounds. Additionally, he has 34.25 inch arms, which is well above the NFL threshold for offensive tackles. His size combined with staggering strength makes him an enticing option for teams just based on his raw ability. However, he truly becomes an exceptional prospect when his background is taken into account.
Iheanachor was born and raised in Nigeria and didn’t move to the United States until he was 13 years old. Football was an afterthought then, as he didn’t start playing until his freshman year at East Los Angeles College, a JUCO. Despite never playing the game, he earned a spot on the roster and never looked back. In 2023 he transferred to Arizona State and has played over 2,100 snaps with the Sun Devils.
Growing up, Iheanachor was a big football player, which translates to his prowess on the football field. He is an incredibly smooth mover and has outstanding footwork that allows him to mirror opposing lineman and never be outmatched with speed. He’s always in control and never looks sped up against an opposing rusher.
Iheanachor’s fundamentals are surprisingly sound, despite the fact he started playing football just five years ago. He’s got amazing punch timing, breaking the defenders momentum. This combined with his footwork makes him impressive in both the pass and run game. This was evident against Texas Tech, where he held his own against David Bailey and Romello Height, two of the best pass rushers in the nation. In fact, he arguably put out the best tape of any offensive tackle against them.
Iheanachor still isn’t a finished product. He has the frame, but could develop more power. His hands don’t pop on contact which mitigates the effectiveness, plus he doesn’t have a nasty streak in the run game and can struggle to completely remove a player from the picture.
As stated above, his technique is great for his experience, but it still isn’t perfect. There are plays where instead of maintaining good leverage, he lunges forward and throws his entire body at the defender. This will be exploited in the NFL if he doesn’t exploit it.
The Texans will get an in-depth look at Iheanachor as he competes at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, AL. He will be tested against a spectacular edge rusher class, including Rueben Bain and David Bailey. If he passes, he will likely fly up draft boards, possibly in the first round.
Max Iheanachor isn’t a finished product, but would be a fantastic offseason addition for the Texans. He would help sure up the team's greatest weakness and give CJ Stroud much needed protection for years to come.