Story perspectives

Steelers Draft Max Iheanachor, Miss Makai Lemon

4/25/2026

Summary

Steelers Draft Max

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected offensive tackle Max Iheanachor with the No. 21 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
They missed wide receiver Makai Lemon after the Philadelphia Eagles traded up to No. 20 and chose him.
Day 2 of the draft begins at 7 p.m. ET.
The Steelers hold four picks in rounds 2-3 (Nos. 53, 76, 85, 99) and could add Chris Brazzell II, Treydan Stukes, Gennings Dunker or Darrell Jackson Jr.

Summary

Goodell Announces Record

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced that the Round 1 draft in Pittsburgh set an attendance record of 320,000 fans.
The 2026 draft marked Pittsburgh’s first time hosting the event in more than 78 years.
Only 32 of the 225 selections were completed, leaving the second, third and final rounds for Friday and Saturday.
Goodell said the 320,000-fan turnout could increase further as later rounds unfold, reflecting rising fan enthusiasm.

History

Historical Context

The NFL’s first draft on February 8 1936 at Philadelphia’s Ritz-Carlton—90 players chosen over nine rounds with Jay Berwanger as the top pick and George Halas present—was created to equalize team talent. Decades later the draft grew into a televised, city-bidding spectacle, drawing 200,000 fans in Chicago (2015) and setting a 775,000-person record in Detroit (2024). In 2026 the Steelers-hosted draft attracted 320,000 spectators, underscoring the event’s national expansion.

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Steelers Draft Max

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected offensive tackle Max Iheanachor with the No. 21 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
They missed wide receiver Makai Lemon after the Philadelphia Eagles traded up to No. 20 and chose him.
Day 2 of the draft begins at 7 p.m. ET.
The Steelers hold four picks in rounds 2-3 (Nos. 53, 76, 85, 99) and could add Chris Brazzell II, Treydan Stukes, Gennings Dunker or Darrell Jackson Jr.

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