Steelers 2026 Fifth Round Fullback is Already an Upgrade Over Connor Heyward

During the 2026 free agency, one of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ departures was tight end/fullback Connor Heyward. The younger brother of team captain Cameron Heyward, the fullback out of Michigan State, was selected by the Steelers in the Sixth Round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Heyward never shone in Pittsburgh, primarily working as the third tight end or receiving a handoff here and there. In 2025, his biggest role came on special teams, and whenever the Steelers offense ran its version of the Eagles' ‘Tush Push’, he would take the snap each time. With a change in head coach, as the Steelers hired Mike McCarthy, followed by the hiring of Brian Angelichio as offensive coordinator, there was an expectation that the Steelers may be more inclined to use a fullback again, especially since McCarthy has utilized one before. While Heyward signed a two-year contract with the Las Vegas Raiders, the Steelers selected fullback Riley Nowakowski in the Fifth Round of the 2026 NFL Draft. The 23-year-old rookie out of Indiana comes in as the same type of versatile talent that Heyward possessed; his size, speed, and skill bring much more to the Steelers than the now-Raiders fullback ever could.

Heyward’s time in Pittsburgh was always controversial. Many believed he was drafted and kept in the Steel City simply because he was the younger brother of Cam Heyward, who has played his entire 15-year career with the Steelers, earning multiple Pro Bowl selections along the way and winning a Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. Standing at just six feet and weighing 230 pounds, the versatile runner was undersized as a tight end and a fullback. Nowakowski comes in at just over six feet two inches, weighing 244 pounds. According to Mike DeFabo from The Athletic, the rookie National Champion is “miles better” than Heyward. DeFabo says, “I'm looking forward to him getting rid of these Connor Heyward comps because I think Heyward was limited as a player and as an athlete in a lot of ways. I think that Riley Nowakowski is superior in so many different ways that he's going to be a more functional and useful piece.” One of Heyward’s biggest areas of struggle was pass blocking, which is exactly something that the 23-year-old rookie excelled at in college. He would often hold his own against skilled edge rushers, and ones much bigger than himself. His speed also allows him to be better after the catch, which was one of the more important reasons the Steelers took him on day three of the draft.

Nowakowski performed better than Heyward at the combine in almost every statistical category. A 4.66-second 40-yard dash compared to a 4.72-second 40-yard dash. Practically equal 10-yard splits and vertical jumps, with the versatile rookie receiving a better grade in athleticism and overall score compared to the former fullback. DeFabo believes that the versatile blocker is a clear upgrade to Heyward as he says, “He's one of those guys that's legitimately versatile where he could line up as a fullback, and McCarthy's used a fullback in the past, but he could also line up and play on the wing. He could play a traditional inline tight end.” Pittsburgh’s strong run game became one of the defining characteristics under the franchise’s longtime head coach, and the Steelers now hope to continue that identity heading into 2026. The Fifth Round pick will be crucial in improving Pittsburgh’s rushing attack, and with playmakers such as Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle behind him, Nowakowski has a chance to be a wrecking ball for the Steel City in 2026.