The Steelers Got Absolutely Blindsided at Pick 21 and Had to Autopick in Desperation

Round 1 of the 2026 NFL draft is done, and the Pittsburgh Steelers have a disaster to explain to their fans. According to insider Alan Saunders, the Steelers completely botched their night when they missed wide receiver Makai Lemon at No. 21 and were forced to autopick after the Philadelphia Eagles sniped them.

A Game Plan That Fell Apart Fast

Here's what went down: The Steelers had a clear priority entering the draft. Plan A was to grab a quarterback. That didn't happen. So they pivoted to Plan B, which made total sense: grab a wide receiver. When Makai Lemon started looking like he might actually fall to them at pick 21, they locked in on that target.

But then everything exploded in their faces. The Eagles traded up to No. 20 and took Lemon right before Pittsburgh's turn. "Then, they seemed to run out of plans," Saunders said, summing up the complete meltdown.

The Cowboys and Eagles Tag-Teamed the Steelers

The real kicker? The Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles worked together to orchestrate the whole thing. According to insider Ian Rapoport, here's exactly what happened: Dallas was on the clock at No. 20, everyone knew they were focused on defense, so the Steelers got on the phone with Lemon, ready to make him a Steeler at 21.

Except the Eagles had already traded up over them. They were trying to reach Lemon, but he wasn't picking up because the Steelers already had him on the line. The Eagles completed their trade, grabbed Lemon anyway, and Pittsburgh was left holding nothing. The Steelers then scrambled and grabbed a tackle instead.

Now They Wait

The Steelers are one of Round 1's biggest losers. They'll have to sit and watch before they get another shot at adding a wide receiver. That's a brutal way to start draft night.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.