"Doesn't Fit That Mold": Steelers Rookie Already In Danger Of Not Making 53-Man Roster

The Pittsburgh Steelers ended up making 10 of their originally-expected 12 selections in the 2026 NFL Draft. A few different trades were made, and the overall haul seemed to be a decent one. Unfortunately, it is very unlikely that all of the rookies that were taken will make the 53-man roster. The sweet spot for picks with a 100% success rate is typically around seven or eight. Offseason workouts and training camp will be a critical evaluation time period for those looking to live out their dreams of playing in the National Football League.

One of the big names selected in Pittsburgh was quarterback Drew Allar. He was once a first-round projection, but a poor 2025 campaign hurt his chances of being taken on the Thursday evening of the event. There was also somewhat of a disaster in Round 1 when the Philadelphia Eagles jumped the Steelers for Makai Lemon.

There was plenty of drama; however, one of the most heartwarming moments of the entire weekend was Pittsburgh taking Eli Heidenreich in the seventh round. It was a pretty cool series of events in the Steel City, but now the rookie is going to have to focus on putting on a show over the course of the next few months. It's not going to be easy for him to get a roster spot.

This fact was hammered home by Mark Kaboly in his Monday morning mailbag. Fans are excited for the Mount Lebanon native; however, it doesn't mean he is going to get preferential treatment. The insider was stern when someone asked if Heidenreich could be a legitimate Swiss Army knife for the Steelers moving forward.

"I think we have to slow our roll a little bit with Heidenreich," Kaboly wrote. "He was a great player at Navy and even a better story getting drafted by his hometown Steelers, but everything Mike McCarthy has alluded to since he was hired has been a power run game being critical to his success. Heidenreich doesn’t fit that mold. He could eventually be that Swiss Army knife you mentioned, but they do have another on the roster like that with Max Hurleman."

Max Hurleman has been forgotten about, specifically ever since the selection of Heidenreich. The two could have an interesting battle emerge in training camp that was never originally expected to happen. It is very possible that Mike McCarthy's system is much more of a fit for Hurleman, rather than Heidenreich. It will be fascinating to see how the team approaches the situation.

It's never necessarily easy for seventh-round picks to make rosters immediately. Some show elite special teams prowess that earns them a spot, only for opportunities to come later on the offensive or defensive sides of the ball. This might have to be the case for Heidenreich. The chances to show what he is capable of in training camp will be somewhat limited, which means he has to make the most of them when they come up.

Additionally, it's possible that he gets cut, but then chooses to sign back to the practice squad. As long as another team didn't want to add him to its 53-man roster immediately, it would likely be expected that Heidenreich would elect to stay close to his home and work his way up from there as a member of the Steelers' practice squad group. Fans should get a good idea of how the organization's views him based on how McCarthy uses him in Latrobe.

Steelers Could Use A Do-It-All Playmaker

Playing at Navy doesn't always get players enough looks from professional scouts. Pittsburgh may have found a diamond in the rough with Heidenreich, and him turning into a player like Kyle Juszczyk would be the ultimate home run for a seventh-rounder. The Steelers have other options to consider, however, as Kaboly notes that Hurleman just might be the better fit for the new system.

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