One NFL analyst was not a fan of how the Pittsburgh Steelers executed the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have high expectations for their 2026 NFL Draft class, but one analyst believes it would have been a lot better had they not made one of the biggest mistakes of the draft.
Justin Melo of SI.com thinks the Steelers inability to land USC wide receiver Makai Lemon could come back to haunt them for many years.
"The Pittsburgh Steelers were prepared to select wide receiver Makai Lemon before the Philadelphia Eagles made a last-minute move ahead of them. The Steelers pivoted by taking rising offensive tackle prospect Max Iheanachor. Iheanachor may end up addressing a major need given Broderick Jones ' complicated injury situation, but the pick hasn't been popular with the fanbase," Melo wrote .
Lemon was certainly an intriguing player for the Steelers at pick No. 21 after he broke out with 79 catches for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns last season.
Makai Lemon, Katie Chin / USC Athletics
However, the Steelers were still able to land another playmaker in Alabama's Germie Bernard , who is coming off a career-high 64 catches for 862 yards and seven touchdowns last season.
Only time will tell who will have the better NFL career between Lemon and Bernard, but Lemon will likely get the early nod, given his draft capital.
Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, Melo thinks coming just short of Lemon may not have been the only mistake by the team, either.
"The Steelers also drafted a mid-round quarterback for a second consecutive year, taking Drew Allar , a raw and developmental prospect. Both decisions were made while awaiting Aaron Rodgers ' retirement decision. With Rodgers back again, the Steelers' quarterback room has become awfully crowded," Melo added.
Allar is a raw prospect, but he has the physical tools to succeed in the NFL, standing at 6-foot-5, 228 pounds with a rocket arm. He was also an All-Big Ten honorable mention in 2024, leading Penn State to the College Football Playoff semifinals while passing for 3,327 yards, 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
Rodgers' decision likely didn't have any impact on the selection of Allar, but somebody will likely be the odd man out by the time rosters must be trimmed down to the NFL-mandated 53 players.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Analyst Thinks Steelers Made One of NFL Draft's Biggest Mistakes
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