What the Steelers Last Draft Pick in the 2026 Draft Brings to the Team
The Steelers selected Eli Heidenreich with the 230th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Saturday. He played collegiate football for the Navy Midshipmen, and he graduated in May. The 22-year-old is a dual-threat; he plays running back and wide receiver. Sports Illustrated’s Jack Markowski noted, “Heidenreich is a Swiss Army knife that can be used in a multitude of ways, whether it be out of the slot as a wide receiver, in the backfield, or in-line.” The Athletic’s Dane Brugler stated, “Heidenreich is a versatile all-purpose athlete with acceleration and body control as both a route runner and ball carrier. More quick than explosive, he has mismatch-creating potential out of the slot and catches everything thrown his way, regardless of placement or positioning.”
The 22-year-old has experience as a slot and Z-receiver. He can create splash plays. He’s skilled at securing and completing the catch. Heidenreich reads lead blocks effectively and smoothly changes directions. He has excellent contact balance. The Naval Academy graduate also has special teams experience. Heidenreich discussed his versatility, saying, “The biggest thing is my versatility. You see that across the NFL. The best backs in the league are the ones who are able to carry the ball well and also go out and contribute in the receiving game.” It will be interesting to see how the 22-year-old continues to develop under the Steelers’ new head coach, Mike McCarthy, and how the team decides to utilize him.
Heidenreich is six feet tall and weighs 198 pounds. In October of 2025, he broke the Navy record for single-game receiving yards with 243 yards. In 2025, the 22-year-old was a Second-Team All-American Athletic Conference selection. Heidenreich owns the Navy’s records for career receiving yards and career receiving touchdowns. He’s amassed 1,994 receiving yards and 16 receiving touchdowns. The 22-year-old participated in the 2026 NFL Combine. His 40-yard dash time was 4.44 seconds. His 10-yard split time was 1.55 seconds. Heidenreich’s vertical jump was 35.5 inches, and his broad jump was ten feet.
The 22-year-old is a Pittsburgh native eager to play for his hometown team. Shortly after being drafted by the Steelers, Heidenreich talked about how it felt. “It was awesome,” he remarked. “I had the whole spectrum of emotions the last 20 minutes. It’s really been incredible. I am just thankful for the opportunity. I was born and raised a Steelers fan. The chance for me to go and put on that uniform and contribute to that team is unbelievable.”
