A wild situation unfolded during the opening round of the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pittsburgh Steelers made a phone call to the man they planned to select with the 21st overall pick, but another team leapfrogged them.
Steelers general manager Omar Khan called former University of Southern California wide receiver Makai Lemon, one of the projected top talents in the draft. They had him on the phone while talking about how they would select him. However, Lemon suddenly asked, “Hey, why is Philly calling?”
The moment that Makai Lemon found out the Eagles were trading up to get him at No. 20 while he was the on the phone with the Steelers, who were planning to take him at No. 21. pic.twitter.com/Iqv7wfzbtu
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 24, 2026
The reason is that the Eagles had traded up in the draft to land the 20th pick. The Eagles sent the 23rd pick and two fourth-round picks in exchange for the 20th pick and a seventh-round pick.
This meant that they could submit their pick before the Steelers. The NFC East team wasted no time in selecting Lemon. GM Howie Roseman then made the call to let the receiver know that he would soon don the green jerseys.
The Steelers had to suddenly pivot after missing out on the main player that they hoped to select. They ultimately drafted Max Iheanachor, an offensive tackle from Arizona State. Yes, this is a figure who can help provide support in the trenches, but it is not someone who could potentially team up with DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr.
Now, Lemon will join the Eagles receiving corps that includes DeVonta Smith, Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, Darius Cooper, Elijah Moore, and AJ Brown. However, the addition of Lemon means that one of these receivers will likely part ways with the Eagles.
The future of AJ Brown has remained a talking point throughout the pre-Draft process. Reports indicated that the Patriots would swing a deal to acquire the big receiver. However, the expectation is that this will happen after June 1 to help with the salary cap hit.
