Pittsburgh Steelers 2026 first-round pick Max Iheanachor is starting to gain the respect of his teammates.
The Pittsburgh Steelers wrapped up OTAs last week, when some of their vets got their first look at the newest additions to the team.
Among those was Steelers veteran offensive tackle Dylan Cook , who revealed what he thinks the Steelers are getting in 2026 first-round pick Max Iheanachor .
"He's primed. He's ready," Cook said via steelers.com . "There are a couple of things he can work on, but he's a quick learner and he's eager to learn. He's going to be a really good player."
It came as a bit of a shock to many when the Steelers selected Iheanachor with the No. 21 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but he is certainly a very intriguing prospect.
Iheanachor stands at 6-foot-6, 321 pounds with 33 7-8-inch arms and nine-inch hands. He also recorded a 4.91-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, which was among the fastest for tackles.
In 2024, he started all 14 games at right tackle for Arizona State, and then in 2025, he started 12 more games at right tackle and was named second-team All-Big 12 Conference.
Oct 25, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils offensive lineman Max Iheanachor (58) against the Houston Cougars at Mountain America Stadium. — Mark J. Rebilas / Imagn Images
What makes Iheanachor so unique, though, as that he didn't grow up playing football. He was born in Nigeria, where he played soccer.
Iheanachor then moved to Compton when he was 13 years old and did not start playing football until he enrolled at East Los Angeles College .
However, Cook said he would have never been able to tell if he didn't know Iheanachor's story.
"I don't know his full story, but from what I've heard, he's only been playing football for a few years," Cook continued. "That's crazy. Good for him."
Only time will tell what kind of player Iheanachor will develop into at the next level, but early signs point toward the Steelers having made the right choice in April.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Steelers Vet Gives First Impression of First-Round Pick Max Iheanachor
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