Steelers Now
One of the Pittsburgh Steelers rookies is feeling confident about his chances in the NFL.
Pittsburgh Steelers rookie running back/wide receiver Eli Heidenreich has an uphill battle as the No. 230 overall pick in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft. However, he believes his collegiate career at Navy has prepared him to not only make the team’s 53-man roster, but also make an early impact.
“My junior year is when we switched over to our current offense, I guess a little bit more modern version of Wing-T, allows us to throw the ball more and do some more creative things with the football,” Heidenreich said on The Christian Kuntz Podcast. “I think that’s what really allowed me to showcase my abilities and my versatility, things that made me attractive to NFL teams.”
Heidenreich certainly showed a lot of versatility during his collegiate career, finishing atop the all-time leaderboards for receiving yards (1,994) and receiving touchdowns (16).
He was also a second-team All-American Athletic Conference wideout last season, leading the Midshipmen with 51 receptions while also rushing for 499 yards and three scores, setting a single-season program record with 941 receiving yards and tying its mark with six touchdown grabs.
Heidenreich hopes to have the chance to make a similar impact at the next level.
“My role has been a running back, right now. And who knows, down the line, I get the chance to hang out with some of the receivers,” Heidenreich continued. “I was doing a lot of running back, and a lot of receiving at Navy. It just kinda allowed me and forced me to develop both skills.”
Only time will tell how the Steelers will choose to use Heidenreich on offense, but he must first prove he is worthy of a spot later this summer — a task that could be difficult in a crowded running back room with Jaylen Warren, Rico Dowdle and former third-round pick Kaleb Johnson.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers Rookie Claims College Role Prepared Him For NFL
