The Pittsburgh Steelers were scrutinized pretty heavily by the fan base for the way that the 2026 NFL Draft went for the franchise. The organization was completely embarrassed on the first night of the event as the team was jumped in the draft order and wide receiver Makai Lemon was stolen right from under them. That plus a few of the selections the team made being criticized has not been a great look for Pittsburgh. The Drew Allar pick has been torn apart, as has the decision to select Kaden Wetjen in the fourth round. However, a pick fans loved was Eli Heidenreich in the seventh round.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Eli Heidenreich runs out onto the field during rookie minicamp in 2026.
Heidenreich is a great story as he is from Pittsburgh and he went on to attend Navy to play college football. He was expected to go off the board a little bit earlier than he did, but his name was finally called in the seventh round as he was drafted by the Steelers. He is viewed as a versatile player that can play out of the backfield and at wide receiver, but he is expected to be used on special teams and as a running back in Pittsburgh. Beat writer Mark Kaboly joined 93.7 The Fan on Monday morning, where he shared how impressive the young back looked.
"I wasn't a big fan of the Eli Heidenreich pick," Kaboly said. "The guy is somewhat legit as in the way you look and see him move. And I did tweet this the other day, he has Christian McCaffrey tendencies. What I'm saying is he's not Christian McCaffrey, we know this. [McCaffrey] is a unicorn, he is a Hall of Famer. [Heidenreich] is not him, but how he gets through the drills. His size is about the same, the skill set, I don't know how that translates. But you can see the talent jumping out there right away."
The Christian McCaffrey comparison is one that was being made before Heidenreich was even drafted. The two have similar play styles in the way that they are each running backs that can make plays in the passing game. There are some similarities with their size and overall athleticism as well, but obviously the expectation for Heidenreich is not to become McCaffrey.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers running back Eli Heidenreich on the field during rookie minicamp in 2026.
Heidenreich is going to have to put in the work to even make the final roster at the end of August. There is no guarantee that every drafted rookie is going to make the roster, especially with a draft class that is 10 players large. A rookie drafted by General Manager Omar Khan has never failed to make the final roster, but there is a good chance that happens ahead of the 2026 season.
Heidenreich's versatility and talent should make him hard to cut, especially if he is able to find a way to contribute on special teams. He will be an intriguing story to follow once training camp gets underway and the regular season gets closer. He should be an exciting player to watch once the preseason rolls around, and he could certainly make a name for himself during those contests.
Jared Wickerham / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Eli Heidenreich stands on stage after being drafted by the team in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Steelers Running Back Room Is Very Interesting
The Steelers have Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle at the top of the running back room, and it is obvious that those two will be leading the way. Kaleb Johnson is also there, and he is getting a fresh start under a new coaching staff. Travis Homer was also added to the running back room, although he specializes in special teams. Regardless, the room is crowded, and it is unclear how many backs the Steelers will keep on the roster going into the 2026 season. Four should be the expected number, which means Heidenreich will be competing with Homer and Johnson for a final roster spot.
What do you think of this analysis of Heidenreich from Kaboly? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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