Steelers Just Made Their First-Round Pick Very Interesting

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers just added a name to their 2026 NFL Draft list that makes their first-round pick very interesting.

This team has many options at pick No. 21. For most of the offseason, the belief was that they were targeting a wide receiver and that it was nearly a guarantee they'd take one in the opening round. While that could still very well happen, the Steelers have opened up their options, and the latest name may throw a curveball into the mix that many people were giving up on.

Penn State guard Vega Ioane, along with Iowa guard Beau Stephens and Ohio State tight end Will Kacmarek, visited the Pittsburgh Steelers for top-30 visits prior to the NFL Draft. Teams have until April 15 to conduct their visits, and with just six prospects left to bring in, the Steelers added a first-round guard.

Vega Ioane Changes Everything

Ioane was the first name mentioned by Steelers Hall of Famer, Jerome Bettis, when Steelers On SI asked him what prospects best fit the team.

"There's a guard at Penn State [Ioane]... he's physical, and he gets after you, so there's just some guys like that. There's a guard at Georgia, Freeling I think his name is, he's a stud," Bettis said.

"I just see these offensive linemen as guys that I would look at and say, 'We can build a future with him.' There's a linebacker at Georgia [Allen] as well that I think would fit really well into the scheme of the Steelers. If I was drafting, I would look offensive line, I would look linebacker, quarterback, and I would try to get maybe a second-round receiver and go at it in that direction."

That's because he just fits. Ioane is already viewed as a franchise guard option for an NFL team. A position the Steelers could use help with. And while they have confidence in their two options, they are clearly open to the idea of something more solidified.

The one area outside of quarterback that an offense cannot ignore is the offensive line. The Steelers have put an emphasis on that for the last several years and are fairly close to completing their work. Spencer Anderson and Brock Hoffman are set to battle it out at left guard this offseason, but Ioane may change that.

Dec 31, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions offensive lineman Olaivavega Ioane (71) against the Boise State Broncos during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Maybe the Steelers consider Spencer Anderson as their left tackle competition for Dylan Cook until Broderick Jones returns. Maybe they ignore the situaton all together and just upgrade with Ioane.

There are options out there for the Steelers.

Ioane was starting to feel like a player the Steelers weren't interested in. As the draft neared, they paid little attention to him, and it was starting to look like he wasn't the name to watch at 21.

That all changes. Ioane is one of the most promising players in the draft. Pittsburgh is looking to draft best player available at a position with their early picks. Ioane is certainly a contender to meet that criteria.

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