PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers invested another high-round draft pick along the offensive line.
The 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.
“You can’t have enough big men up front,” new Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy said. “He’s a great fit for us and a stud of a young man. I think it’s an excellent pick for us and he’ll be a great addition to our offensive line.”
The Steelers nearly selected USC receiver Makai Lemon, but the Philadelphia Eagles moved up to the 20th pick in a trade with Dallas and selected the 2025 Biletnikoff Award winner as the nation’s top wideout.
“Pittsburgh called me and I thought they were going to draft me,” Lemon said. “And then the Eagles called at the same time. I guess it was meant to be.”
General manager Omar Khan said the Steelers were influenced by the Eagles’ decision to trade, but said that he was comfortable with adding Iheanachor to the mix.
“The way it shook out brought us to this position,” Khan said. “I think all those things that happened around us affect the conversation. It was the right pick for us.”
This is the third time in four years Pittsburgh drafted an offensive tackle in the first round.
The Steelers’ offensive line could use some reinforcements after veteran guard Isaac Seumalo left in free agency and as left tackle Broderick Jones – their first-round pick in 2023 – recovers from a neck injury that forced him to miss the last seven games of 2025.
There’s no timetable on when Jones might be ready, though he was with his teammates this week as part of the “medical group” when the Steelers held informal workouts.
“There’s a little bit of a concern,” Khan said of Jones’ injury. “We have guys on the offensive line that can play different positions. We have options.”
McCarthy didn’t rule out moving Troy Fautanu to left tackle. Fautanu, the Steelers’ 2024 first-round pick, played 17 games at right tackle last season.
“Those are discussions that will occur after the draft,” McCarthy said. “Position flexibility is bigger than ever in the NFL. To add Max to this group … I can’t tell you how excited I am with the pick.”
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 played basketball and soccer before starting football in junior college.
Super Bowl 40 MVP Hines Ward was the wide receiver coach at Arizona State and told Khan that Iheanachor was a “true Steeler.”
“He’s a Steeler legend,” Iheanachor said of Ward. “I definitely got to experience what a Steeler is first-hand in the building and now I’m going into the building with the actual team.”
Iheanachor didn’t take a top-30 visit to the Steelers. McCarthy said Iheanachor started to stand out to them in February after the Senior Bowl.
“He’s only going to get better and better,” Khan said. “He’s such a talented football player. He hasn’t played a lot of football, but I’m excited what the future holds for him with us.”
An NFL-announced record crowd of 320,000 crammed outside Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium for the NFL’s marquee offseason event. They twirled yellow Terrible Towels while “Renegade” by Styx played to welcome Iheanachor, the newest member of the team.
It was the first draft pick for 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.
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.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Pittsburgh Steelers fans hold up signs before the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Peyton Gray had visualized the moment so many times that he didn't feel nervous when finally making his big league debut — at age 30 after eight years through the minor leagues, independent ball and four winters outside the United States
Gray worked a perfect inning in his debut for the Texas Rangers on Thursday night, getting a groundout on his first pitch in the majors and ending the 6-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates with a strikeout of Konnor Griffin, the highly touted shortstop playing the day before his 20th birthday.
“That makes me feel pretty old,” Grey said with a smile. “Getting my first career strikeout on him is pretty cool.”
The Rangers promoted Gray from Triple-A Round Rock earlier Thursday when placing left-handed reliever Robert Garcia on the 15-day injured list because of left shoulder inflammation after he hadn't pitched in a week. Gray was the fourth reliever they used after two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom recorded his 62nd career 10-strikeout game, getting those in 5 2/3 innings.
“It was awesome, and I was getting chills,” Rangers manager Skip Shumaker said. “The journey that he had to get to this spot, you could probably write a book about it.”
Gray found out about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday night, after Round Rock was rained out for the second day in a row in Sugar Land, Texas, that he was going to join the Rangers. He then called his parents in Columbus, Indiana, and they made the more than 900-mile drive to be at their son's big-league debut.
Each time the phone rang in the Rangers bullpen Thursday night, Gray got antsy thinking it could be his moment.
“When it was finally my turn, it was awesome. I wasn’t nervous I was more excited, prepared,” said Gray, who was asked later why he didn't feel nervous. “I think I visualized this moment so many times throughout my life. ... I feel like I’ve been a big leaguer already. I just haven’t been able to be on this stage yet.”
After needing only one pitch to get his first out, Gray got a flyout before facing Griffin, the teenager who two weeks ago agreed to nine-year, $140 million contract with the Pirates. The swing-and-miss for strike three was on an 83.4 mph changeup that catcher Danny Jansen blocked and then threw to first base to end the game.
“This game is amazing. I love this game so much because of stories like that,” Schumaker said. “You’re seeing a kid that just came out of high school not too long ago, and then another guy that has spent (time) trying to get his moment. ... For him to get a strikeout against a future All-Star over there. That’s what the beautiful part of this game is, you don’t see that in every sport. That just doesn’t happen. So yeah, pretty cool moment.”
After being in the Rangers’ minor league system last season, Gray impressed them in spring training this year as a non-roster invite. He had 2.53 ERA in nine appearances with 18 strikeouts and one walk over 10 2/3 innings.
The pitcher who will turn 31 on June 2 began this season at Triple-A Round Rock, where he threw 12 2/3 scoreless innings over seven games, going 1-0 with two saves, 15 strikeouts and two walks.
“Being the 30-year-old non-roster invite that doesn’t have any big league time, I don’t think they expected me to put up as many zeroes and throw as many strikes as I did,” Gray said in the Rangers clubhouse before his MLB debut. ”So I think I surprised them. I might have surprised myself a little bit too.”
After pitching at Florida Gulf Coast University, Gray’s professional debut was a short season with the Colorado Rockies’ affiliate in the Northwest League in 2018, and he stayed in their organization in 2019.
He spent 2021 in the Kansas City Royals’ organization, that between three different seasons for the Milwaukee Milkmen in the independent American Association. He pitched in the Dominican last winter, after the previous three winters in the Mexican Pacific League.
“That’s awesome. 30 years old, that it’s a long time and been through a lot,” deGrom said of Gray. “So for him to get up here and get to the major leagues is just a testament to how hard he has worked throughout the minor leagues and stuff. So very happy for him.”
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Texas Rangers relief pitcher Peyton Gray throws his first pitch in his major league debut to Pittsburgh Pirates' Nick Gonzales in the ninth inning of a baseball game Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Texas Rangers relief pitcher Peyton Gray, left, celebrates with catcher Danny Jansen, right, after the team's win in a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Texas Rangers relief pitcher Peyton Gray throws to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the ninth inning of a baseball game Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Texas Rangers pitcher Robert Garcia throws to an Athletics batter during the sixth inning of a baseball game Thursday, April 16, 2026, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)
