The path to the NFL is never easy, but for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 21st overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, it included a moment when he nearly quit the sport altogether. The 6-foot-6 giant not only impressed former East Los Angeles College head coach Bobby Godinez with his motor skills, but was also a menace on the soccer field and the basketball court before finding his way into football. However, there was a time when Max Iheanachor struggled with the new sport.

Reflecting on his conversation with Iheanachor five years ago, Godinez told Steelers Depot:

“In the middle of Year 1, he actually went into my office and said, ‘Coach, I love you to death, but this sport is not for me, and my mom is saying she needs me to continue my education, so I’m going to have to quit.’ I told him, ‘You go home and tell your mom, we’re not letting you quit.’”

The offensive tackle’s hesitation wasn’t rooted in a lack of physical toughness, but rather the overwhelming learning curve of the gridiron. Having moved to the United States at the age of 13 with a background strictly in basketball and soccer, the intricacies of offensive line play seemed foreign.

Even seasoned veterans often struggle with the complex blocking schemes, precise hand placements, and the cerebral demands of the game. But for Iheanachor, his mother’s demands to stay in academics and the unfamiliarity with American football outweighed the potential rewards on the field. 

Shortly after Iheanachor joined the institute in 2021, the assistant coaches saw the shortcomings in his game. They didn’t like him as the starting right tackle. But Godinez was already convinced by Iheanachor’s basketball game at AAU. 

“Week 1 or 2, and the offensive coordinator, who’s one of my best friends in the whole world, looks at me during one of the practices with the o-line coach and says, ‘We can’t play this kid. He doesn’t know where to go. He’s just not very good. I know you love him, Coach, but we can’t play him.’ I looked at them and said, ‘He’s playing. He’s starting. And he’s never coming out. This kid’s going to be a first-round draft pick, so you better figure it out,’” he added.

True to the former head coach’s word, the 22-year-old indeed turned out to be a first-round pick. And if you turn back the clock, you’d realize that there have been other instances of basketball players switching to football.

A few years ago, Antonio Gates dreamed of becoming an NBA player and even earned Associated Press All-America honorable mention following the 2002 NCAA Tournament. But fate led him to football at Michigan State University. Tim Brewster, the Chargers’ tight ends coach, noticed his size and speed in 2003 and helped bring him into the sport. Although he struggled early on, he eventually found his way to the Hall of Fame in 2025.

Apart from Gates, we’ve seen Stephen Neal transition from wrestling to the NFL. Well, he was a peculiar case, as he didn’t even know where the huddle was. And how can we forget the time when Jimmy Graham transitioned from being a basketball player to an NFL phenom?

Moving on, if we look at Godinez’s impression of Iheanachor, the coach didn’t need any convincing. 

“You saw everything you needed to see: his ability to move, his height and weight, his frame. I knew he would be something special, so it just took a little convincing, and the rest is history. Once he stepped foot on that field, there wasn’t a hesitation to work on what he needed to work on. He was all business,” he told FOX Sports before the NFL Draft.

But then, how exactly can a former soccer and basketball player ace being a tackle for the Steelers? Let’s take a look at Max Iheanachor’s strengths and weaknesses. 

How can the Pittsburgh Steelers deploy Max Iheanachor? 

Iheanachor’s extensive background in soccer and basketball translates directly to the gridiron, giving him a rare combination of sheer size and elite quickness that few offensive tackle prospects possess. He’s fast and stays mirrored to his defender and keeps the ball carrier free.

His agility is reflected in his pass sets and quick footwork. His large frame is just a bonus when it comes to moving around the arc for edge rushers. This agility is what helps him through the downfield on screens and counters. And his size simply envelops the smaller defenders. 

As a senior, he allowed 11 hurries, three QB hits, and no sacks in 484 pass-blocking snaps in 2025, according to Pro Football Focus. Additionally, he allowed three career sacks in 31 starts over three seasons at Arizona State.

But Iheanachor is still on his learning curve.

He’s someone who never played football in high school. His punches lack perfect timing. In the late reps, he struggles with latching onto the defenders, to lunge forward and beat his opponents. And more seasoned defenders tend to catch him off balance. 

Ultimately, the Pittsburgh Steelers used their 21st overall pick on a player with a multi-sport background, which arms him with athletic traits that simply cannot be taught. He requires significant technical refinement and hands-on coaching before he can make a consistent, dominant impact against NFL pass rushers. However, we will have to wait until the start of the 2026 season to see if the Steelers’ decision pays off.