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Former NFL player Jerome Bettis speaks on stage during the first round of the NFL football draft in Pittsburgh, Thursday, April 23, 2026. (Adam Hunger\/AP Content Services for the NFL)<\/p>\n
PITTSBURGH \u2014 The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor in front of their hometown crowd with the No. 21 pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night.<\/p>\n
The Steelers\u2019 offensive line could use some reinforcements after veteran guard Isaac Seumalo left in free agency and left tackle Broderick Jones \u2013 their first-round pick in 2023 \u2013 recovers from a neck injury that forced him to miss the last seven games of 2025.<\/p>\n
Thousands of fans crammed outside Pittsburgh\u2019s Acrisure Stadium for the NFL\u2019s marquee offseason event. They twirled yellow Terrible Towels while \u201cRenegade\u201d by Styx played to welcome Iheanachor, the newest member of the team.<\/p>\n
The 6-foot-5, 321-pound Iheanachor, started 31 games at Arizona State and was a second-team All-Big 12 Conference selection at right tackle. He was born in Nigeria, moved to the United States when he was 13 and started playing football in junior college.<\/p>\n
It was the first draft pick for new head coach Mike McCarthy, a Pittsburgh native, who was hired to replace Mike Tomlin in January. Tomlin, who led the Steelers to a Super Bowl title in 2008, stepped down after 19 seasons as coach.<\/p>\n
Pittsburgh won the AFC North last season, but the Steelers were routed 30-6 by the Houston Texans in the wild-card round, the most lopsided home playoff loss in team history.<\/p>\n
Ioane a Raven<\/p>\n
The Baltimore Ravens made the mock drafts look smart.<\/p>\n
The Ravens took Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane with the 14th pick Thursday night. He\u2019s a player who was expected to be one of Baltimore\u2019s targets all along, and even the availability of Miami pass rushing star Rueben Bain Jr. wasn\u2019t enough to knock the Ravens off task. Ioane fills an obvious need for a Baltimore team that had problems in the middle of the offensive line last season.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s hard to not see things for how they are \u2014 seeing a lot of mock drafts, things like that, of me coming there,\u201d Ioane said. \u201cI\u2019ve definitely pictured myself blocking for all those people over there \u2014 great players.\u201d<\/p>\n
The players he\u2019ll be joining are some of the biggest names in the sport \u2014 quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverybody knows what great players those guys are,\u201d Ioane said. \u201cMy thing is coming in and earning my keep. I\u2019ve got to earn the right to block for those guys.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Ravens still have issues to resolve up front after losing star center Tyler Linderbaum to free agency. But Ioane, a second-team All-American despite Penn State\u2019s disappointing 2025 season, can help their interior. Baltimore went 8-9 last season, missed the playoffs and then fired coach John Harbaugh.<\/p>\n
The Ravens addressed one obvious need \u2014 the pass rush \u2014 by signing Trey Hendrickson in free agency. Perhaps that\u2019s why they passed on Bain.<\/p>\n
They almost didn\u2019t have the 14th pick. Baltimore agreed to send two first-round picks to the Raiders for Maxx Crosby, then backed out of that deal before it became official.<\/p>\n
The result: Ioane is now a Raven.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m coming in with the mentality that I\u2019m not trying to get beat. Nobody\u2019s going to touch my quarterback. It\u2019s as simple as that,\u201d he said. \u201cIn the run game, same mindset.\u201d<\/p>\n
As for the first round, the first pick did go as predicted. <\/p>\n
Fernando Mendoza\u2019s journey from overlooked two-star recruit to the top of the NFL draft was completed after the Las Vegas Raiders took him with the first pick.<\/p>\n
Turning the Raiders into a contender is the next challenge for the Heisman Trophy winner who led Indiana to its first national championship.<\/p>\n
The 22-year-old quarterback wasn\u2019t in the Steel City for the festivities, choosing instead to celebrate with family and friends at home in Miami.<\/p>\n
The Los Angeles Rams surprised draft experts by taking Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th pick. Simpson, who started just 15 games in college, was among 16 prospects who came to Pittsburgh even though many draft boards had him going in the second round.<\/p>\n
Simpson exuded confidence when he walked the red carpet.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbsolutely, I am confident,\u201d Simpson said. \u201cThat\u2019s why I decided to come out. You know with the offensive infrastructure we had in Alabama with other coaches and the offensive system, the weight room, everything was set up to better you for the NFL. And that\u2019s why I stayed at \u2018Bama.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mendoza\u2019s selection was expected for months. The intrigue began at No. 2 with the New York Jets, who selected Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey over Ohio State edge Arvell Reese.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s surreal to me,\u201d Bailey said. \u201cIt\u2019s an awesome opportunity. I just want to get in there and be a sponge and soak up everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
Arizona took Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with the third pick. Love is the highest running back selected since Saquon Barkley went No. 2 to the New York Giants in 2018.<\/p>\n
Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate was picked fourth by Tennessee in a surprise move that gives QB Cam Ward \u2014 last year\u2019s No. 1 overall pick \u2014 a top target.<\/p>\n
The Giants took Reese at No. 5, adding a potential elite rusher less than a week after trading three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to Cincinnati.<\/p>\n
The Chiefs traded up to No. 6 to take LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane. Kansas City sent Cleveland the ninth pick along with Nos. 74 and 148 to move up.<\/p>\n
Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles went seventh to Washington, improving a defense that allowed the most yards in the league last season.<\/p>\n
New Orleans selected Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson at No. 8, giving QB Tyler Shough a 1-2 punch with Chris Olave.<\/p>\n
Utah\u2019s Spencer Fano was the first offensive lineman chosen, going to Cleveland with the ninth pick.<\/p>\n
The Giants followed up with another offensive tackle, taking Miami\u2019s Francis Mauigoa at No. 10.<\/p>\n
The Cowboys moved up one spot to select versatile Ohio State safety Caleb Downs at No. 11. Dallas sent Miami a pair of fifth-rounders and the 12th pick. The Dolphins took Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor.<\/p>\n
Baltimore chose Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane at No. 14 with a pick they had traded to the Raiders for Maxx Crosby but regained when they voided the trade.<\/p>\n
Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. was selected by Tampa Bay with the 15th pick, giving the Buccaneers\u2019 dismal pass rush a possible game-changer who was considered a top-10 talent.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know I\u2019m the best in the country,\u201d Bain said. \u201cI can do anything I put my mind to because of my mindset.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Jets selected the top tight end in the draft at No. 16, taking Oregon\u2019s Kenyon Sadiq.<\/p>\n
Detroit moved up one spot to take Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller with the 17th pick. The Lions swapped picks with division rival Minnesota, which chose Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks.<\/p>\n
Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling, once expected to be a top-10 pick, was chosen by Carolina at No. 19.<\/p>\n
The Eagles moved up to 20th in another pick swap involving division rivals and took USC wideout Makai Lemon. Dallas got Philadelphia\u2019s 23rd pick plus two fourth-rounders for No. 20 and a seventh.<\/p>\n
Mendoza won\u2019t be rushed into the starting lineup by the Raiders, who haven\u2019t won a playoff game in 24 years. He\u2019ll get a chance to learn from four-time Pro Bowl QB Kirk Cousins and Raiders part-owner Tom Brady, the seven-time Super Bowl champion who Mendoza grew up idolizing.<\/p>\n
Mendoza is the fourth straight quarterback selected No. 1 overall following Cam Ward, Caleb Williams and Bryce Young. It\u2019s the 10th time in 12 years a QB was the first pick.<\/p>\n
None of those 10 have won a Super Bowl, though Jared Goff and Joe Burrow each started one.<\/p>\n
In 2024, six QBs were among the top 12 picks. Four have already won playoff games and Drake Maye was 2025 MVP runner-up and started the Super Bowl.<\/p>\n
Goodell kicked off the night by walking on stage with Steelers stars T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward, earning the customary boos that greet him each year at the draft. The players waved yellow Terrible Towels while Goodell held his.<\/p>\n
\u201cC\u2019mon, you can do better than that,\u201d Goodell said about the boos. \u201cWe have over 300,000 people. Let\u2019s go. Let\u2019s hear you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Heyward then introduced franchise greats Lynn Swann, Hines Ward and Terry Bradshaw as a sea of Steelers fans roared.<\/p>\n
The hometown fans seemed disappointed when the Steeelers selected Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor 21st. It\u2019s the third time in four years Pittsburgh has drafted an offensive tackle in the first round and fans were hoping for a playmaker.<\/p>\n
A pair of edge rushers went back-to-back to the Los Angeles Chargers and Cowboys. Miami\u2019s Akheem Mesidor went at No. 22 to LA and Dallas took Central Florida\u2019s Malachi Lawrence.<\/p>\n
The Browns got Texas A&M wideout KC Concepcion with the 24th pick, giving Shedeur Sanders or Deshaun Watson a potential top target.<\/p>\n
Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman went to Chicago at No. 25, bolstering a secondary that\u2019s lost several starters.<\/p>\n
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