Eli Heidenreich grew up a diehard Pittsburgh Steelers fan, understanding it is a public duty for all Pittsburgh natives to represent the black and gold.
Now the Navy star running back/wide receiver will actually represent the black and gold as the newest member of the organization. Heidenreich was selected by his hometown Steelers at pick No. 230 in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft. It was an emotional moment for Heidenreich, who was on the scene at the draft with his family, donning his newest Steelers hat
on the live broadcast.
Heidenreich was the second Navy player selected in the seventh round, hearing his name called four picks after defensive tackle Landon Robinson landed at 226th overall to the Cincinnati Bengals. It is the first time since 1956 that the Midshipmen produced multiple NFL draft selections in the same year.
Heidenreich thrived as the ultimate utility man at Navy. While he was labeled as a running back in the draft process, it’s hard to define him by a single position. In three seasons suiting up for the Midshipmen, Heidenreich rushed for 1,157 yards and seven touchdowns on a 6.8 average while recording 1,994 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns on an electrifying 18.3 average. Heidenreich left the program as the all-time leader in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, completing defining what it means to be a receiver at the Naval Academy.
What really unlocked Heidenreich’s game was the hiring of offensive coordinator Drew Cronic, who shifted Navy’s tradition under-center option into a hybrid wing T option that frequently operated out of shotgun. The Midshipmen went from rarely passing to airing it out multiple times per possession, and Heidenreich was a key benefactor of this schematic shift.
In 2025, the utility man recorded 499 rushing yards as a jet sweep specialist. He additionally stuffed the stat sheet with a Navy program record 941 receiving yards, producing two 140+ yard performances during the Midshipmen’s 11-2 season. An October contest vs. Air Force defined the extent of his receiving prowess. That afternoon, he recorded eight receptions for 243 yards and three touchdowns to guide Navy to a narrow victory. Then to conclude the regular season, he secured the game-winning touchdown on fourth down of the Army-Navy Game, forever cementing himself into the rivalry’s lore. The Second Team All-American Conference selection then fittingly rode into the sunset in a Liberty Bowl triumph over Cincinnati where he exceeded 60 rushing yards and 60 receiving yards in the game.
Heidenreich was Navy’s lone NFL Combine representative and one of four American Conference players to earn an invite. Testing as a running back in Indianapolis, the 6’0”, 198 pound athlete clocked in at 4.44 seconds in the 40-yard dash and measured with a 35.5-inch vertical and 10-foot broad jump.
The versatile skill position player joins a Steelers organization which addressed the wide receiver position by drafting Alabama’s Germie Bernard in the second round and Iowa’s Kaden Wetjen in the fourth round. Pittsburgh also added former Colt receiver Michael Pittman Jr. this spring, building a new-look wide receiver group around DK Metcalf.
From a running back perspective, the Steelers added Panthers’ 1,000-yard rusher Rico Dowdle to operate alongside Jaylen Warren and Kaleb Johnson. Which group does Heidenreich fit in, especially in a league that doesn’t employ option-based offenses? The Navy alum is willing to take on any role in the NFL but envisions himself as a Christian McCaffrey-like prospect — even possessing a similar build to the former NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
His role will be determined eventually, but Saturday produced an unforgettable moment for the lifelong Steelers fan, as all the stars aligned on the NFL Draft stage in Pittsburgh.
