The Pittsburgh Steelers chose offensive tackle Max Iheanachor with the 21st pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. The Nigeria native started playing football just five years ago at East Los Angeles College after nearly quitting the sport. Coach Bobby Godinez convinced him to stay and developed him into a first-round prospect.
Max Iheanachor, a 6-foot-6, 321-pound tackle, began his football journey in 2021 at East Los Angeles College. He had nearly quit after his first year, telling coach Bobby Godinez the sport was not for him and that his mother wanted him to focus on education. Godinez refused to let him go, spotting his potential during an AAU basketball game in just 10 seconds and insisting he start at right tackle despite early struggles with fundamentals. 'He's playing. He's starting. And he's never coming out,' Godinez told his staff, predicting Iheanachor would become a first-round pick, according to Steelers Depot reporting of Godinez's account. Godinez later steered him to Arizona State, where he continued to develop his football IQ and athleticism. Iheanachor hugged Godinez at his draft party after the Steelers selected him Thursday night. 'The Steelers have no idea what they are getting,' Godinez said of his former player's unlimited ceiling. The Steelers had targeted wide receiver Makai Lemon but called him prematurely before their pick, former NFL general manager Marty Hurney said on the GM Shuffle podcast. The Philadelphia Eagles traded up ahead of Pittsburgh to select Lemon, forcing the Steelers to pivot. Hurney criticized the move, noting teams should wait until the pick before theirs to call prospects. Offensive line coach James Campen, who worked with head coach Mike McCarthy in Green Bay, expressed excitement over Iheanachor, describing him as 'just scratching the surface.' Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Fittipaldo noted the pick shows McCarthy's trust in Campen to develop the raw talent, who transitioned from soccer and is still refining pass protection. The Steelers also drafted guard Gennings Dunker later, bolstering a young offensive line featuring Troy Fautanu, Zach Frazier and Mason McCormick.
