The board doesn’t always break the way you script it, and for the Pittsburgh Steelers, this one stings a lot. They thought they had their guy. Makai Lemon. They were already on the phone with the former USC wide receiver. And then, he was gone.
The Philadelphia Eagles jumped the line, trading up to No. 20 and snatching Lemon right before Pittsburgh could make it official at No. 21.
Pittsburgh Steelers Miss Out on Makai Lemon As They Get Outmaneuvered by the Eagles’ Howie Roseman
This was calculated. Eagles’ General Manager Howie Roseman knows the Steelers’ building well, including assistant GM Andy Weidl, and clearly had a read on what Pittsburgh wanted to do.
Lemon still being on the board at 20 was already a bonus. The trade with the Dallas Cowboys made sure it didn’t last. And here’s the twist that makes it an even tougher pill to swallow in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers were already in motion. As Ari Meirov wrote, “The #Steelers were on the phone with Makai Lemon at No. 21, planning to pick him… and then the #Eagles traded up to No. 20 with the #Cowboys and took Lemon, per @RapSheet.”
So, Philly couldn’t even get Lemon on the phone immediately because he was already talking to Pittsburgh. That is how fast draft rooms shift.
But is this worth it? Well, Lemon’s one of the top, if not the top, wideouts of this draft. That’s reason number 1. For the Eagles, this move directly means A.J. Brown is no longer their priority. It’s shifted to developing Lemon. As Robert Griffin III wrote on X, “A.J. Brown is 100% gone.”
From a talent standpoint, the Steelers very well know what they have missed out on. Lemon carried a PFSN grade of 89.17, ranked No. 8 overall and WR2 in the class. His 2025 production backed it up with 79 catches for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns, taking his career total touchdown tally to 16, along with a top-4 CFB WR Impact score of 85.1.
On tape, he fits exactly what Pittsburgh needed. At 5’11” and 195 pounds, he wins with precision. Sharp routes, sudden separation, and the kind of body control that makes him dangerous even in contested spots, as noted by the PFSN’s scouting report.
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He is a true hybrid weapon who can operate inside, create after the catch, and stress defenses at multiple levels. For Philadelphia, it is another example of Roseman pushing chips in at the right moment. The Eagles did not wait for the board to come to them. They went and got the player.
For Pittsburgh, it is a reminder that intent means nothing without execution. They identified the target. They made the call. They just did not make the pick fast enough.
