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PITTSBURGH (AP) -- 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.
The Steelers' offensive line could use some reinforcements after veteran guard Isaac Seumalo left in free agency and 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.
Thousands of fans 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.
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.
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.
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.
Two QBs taken
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Fernando Mendoza's journey from overlooked two-star recruit to the top of the NFL draft is complete after the Las Vegas Raiders took him with the first pick on Thursday night.
Turning the Raiders into a contender is the next challenge for the Heisman Trophy winner who led Indiana to its first national championship.
The 22-year-old quarterback wasn't in the Steel City for the festivities, choosing instead to celebrate with family and friends at home in Miami.
Mendoza flashed a big smile after Commissioner Roger Goodell announced his name, put a Raiders cap on and began hugging his family while seated on the couch, saving the warmest embrace for his mother.
He'll be heading to Las Vegas on Friday to begin an NFL career that may have seemed improbable when few colleges were interested in him coming out of high school.
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.
"Absolutely, I am confident," Simpson said. "That's why I decided to come out."