There were many questions raised when the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Max Iheanachor in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. The largest being where would he play on the offensive line?
Head coach Mike McCarthy said in the press conference after selecting the Arizona State product that he is for sure staying at tackle. However, McCarthy left things open for moving Troy Fautanu, potentially to guard. With the latest quotes from Iheanachor, it’s almost a guarantee that Fautanu will be playing a new
position in 2026.
Per Nick Farabaugh, Iheanachor said that he was told he’ll be playing on the right side, which is the side Fautanu has played on in each of his first two seasons. With that information in mind, we can piece together what the Steelers’ offensive line will look like.
It’s doubtful Fautanu would be put at guard, as the Steelers don’t have an answer at left tackle with Broderick Jones hurt and not having his fifth-year option picked up. Additionally, it was made very clear that Gennings Dunker was drafted to play guard. So, the offensive line will likely look like this:
- Left tackle: Troy Fautanu
- Left guard: Gennings Dunker
- Center: Zach Frazier
- Right guard: Mason McCormick
- Right tackle: Max Iheanachor
It’s important to note that Fautanu played all over the offensive line while at Washington, and spent the majority of his career as a left tackle, so the move shouldn’t be overly concerning.
Spencer Anderson or Brock Hoffman could start off the season starting at left guard, but with Mike Tomlin gone, we could see rookies like Dunker get the nod much sooner than we’ve grown accustomed to.
Let us know what you think in the comments. Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!
