Max Iheanachor is heading into the Senior Bowl with a golden opportunity - not just to boost his draft stock, but to show NFL teams he’s more than just a raw athlete with upside. For a team like the Houston Texans, who are desperate to solidify their offensive line after a rocky 2025 season, Iheanachor could be exactly what they need.
Let’s start with the problem in Houston. The Texans made the playoffs last year, thanks in large part to a defense that played at an elite level all season.
But the offense? That was a different story.
CJ Stroud spent far too much time under pressure, and the offensive line struggled to hold up against top-tier pass rushers. If Houston wants to take the next step - from playoff team to legitimate contender - protecting their franchise quarterback has to be priority number one.
That’s where Iheanachor enters the conversation.
At 6-foot-6, 330 pounds, with 34.25-inch arms, Iheanachor checks every box from a physical standpoint. He’s built like a prototype NFL tackle - long, strong, and hard to move.
But what makes him especially intriguing isn’t just the size or the strength. It’s the journey.
Born and raised in Nigeria, Iheanachor didn’t even pick up a football until he was 18, when he enrolled at East Los Angeles College. That’s a JUCO program - not exactly the traditional path to the NFL.
But once he got on the field, he never looked back. By 2023, he was starting at Arizona State, and over the past two seasons, he’s logged more than 2,100 snaps for the Sun Devils.
That’s a remarkable climb in a short amount of time, and it speaks volumes about his work ethic and learning curve.
What stands out on tape is how smooth he is for a player of his size. Iheanachor moves like someone 30 pounds lighter.
His footwork is clean, allowing him to mirror edge rushers without getting off balance or overextended. He’s rarely caught out of position, and he doesn’t panic when speed rushers try to bend the edge.
He plays with poise and control - a trait you don’t always see in linemen who are still relatively new to the game.
Even more impressive is his punch timing. He knows when to strike, and when he lands it, he can completely stall a pass rusher’s momentum.
That kind of hand discipline is usually something that takes years to develop, but Iheanachor’s already flashing it. His performance against Texas Tech was a prime example - he held his own against David Bailey and Romello Height, two of the most disruptive edge rushers in college football.
That tape might be the best any tackle put up against those two all season.
That said, he’s not a finished product. There are still areas he needs to clean up.
His hands don’t always explode on contact, which limits his ability to deliver that immediate jolt in the run game. He’s not a mauler - at least not yet - and he doesn’t always finish blocks with the kind of nasty streak some teams love to see.
There are also moments where he gets too aggressive and lunges at defenders, sacrificing leverage and opening himself up to counters. NFL defensive ends will feast on those mistakes if he doesn’t tighten them up.
But that’s what makes the Senior Bowl such a critical week for him. He’ll be lining up against some of the best edge rushers in the country, including Rueben Bain and David Bailey.
If he can hold his own in Mobile, he’s going to turn heads. Scouts already love the tools - a strong showing could push him firmly into first-round territory.
For the Texans, this is a prospect worth watching closely. They need help on the offensive line, and they need it now.
Max Iheanachor may not be a plug-and-play All-Pro on Day 1, but he’s got the size, athleticism, and technical foundation to become a long-term solution at tackle. And with the right coaching, there’s no telling how high his ceiling could be.
He’s raw, yes. But he’s also rare. And in a league where protecting your quarterback is everything, that combination might be exactly what Houston needs.