The New England Patriots seem to have two positions firmly locked in their sights during the 2026 NFL Draft, as the need for more talent on the defensive line and in the offensive tackle room has put players like Arizona State tackle Max Iheanachor in their crosshairs.
After offensive tackles didn't exactly fly off the board, as only Utah's Spencer Fano and Miami's Francis Mauigoa were taken in the Top 15, optimism among the pro-Iheanachor fans started to brim.
However, the Pittsburgh Steelers managed to come in and spoil the fun. After Clemson's Blake Miller and Georgia's Monroe Freeling were selected in a three-pick span, Pittsburgh decided to select Iheanachor with the No. 21 overall pick. The dreams of Iheanachor wearing Patriots colors faded away.
Iheanachor, who was ranked No. 2 overall on FanSided's interactive Big Board for New England specifically, could have been an instant starter, but the Patriots will now need to start their process anew due to Omar Khan snatching him away.
Steelers take top NFL Draft target Max Iheanachor away from Patriots
Iheanachor is a pure right tackle, which is appealing in a Draft that appears to be pumping out more left tackle prospects. If the Patriots are committed to keeping Will Campbell as the left tackle, Iheanachor could have been a perfect long-term replacement for Morgan Moses.
As someone who handled No. 2 pick David Bailey as well as anyone at the collegiate level and fresh off posting some jaw-dropping athletic testing numbers at the NFL Combine, Iheanachor may have impressed so much that he escaped New England's grasp.
Top Big Board prospect Zion Young remains on the board, as does another edge rusher in Cashius Howell. The unfortunate part about Iheanachor going off the board here is that no members in FanSided's top five outside of him play on the offensive line. Perhaps this is a BPA-type selection?
Iheanachor could have given Drake Maye the right tackle of the future he has been looking for, but the Steelers were quick to act, and a Patriots front office that has been through a tumultuous time in the last few weeks needs to act quickly if they want to find a replacement of his caliber.
The Patriots' offensive line is far from finished from a construction point of view, and what would have been the final piece of this puzzle has now been ruined by Pittsburgh's foresight.
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