The Pittsburgh Steelers had an exciting 2026 NFL Draft as the city hosted the event for the first time in history. Pittsburgh broke the attendance record for the event, and Steelers fans were everywhere. The organization was one of the teams to watch throughout the draft as Pittsburgh entered the selection process with 12 picks. The Steelers wound up moving on from two of their picks, so the franchise added 10 new players during the NFL Draft. There were a ton of exciting picks that were made during the event, but the one that may have grabbed the most headlines was Pittsburgh selecting running back Eli Heidenreich.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers running back Eli Heidenreich takes the field during rookie minicamp in 2026.
Heidenreich is a native of Pittsburgh as he grew up in Mt. Lebanon. There is another layer of intrigue surrounding the running back as he played his college football at Navy, which is a service academy that doesn't typically have a ton of skill-position players drafted. Some thought that he could go as early as Day 2 in the event, but the Steelers were able to land him with a seventh-round pick. Since Pittsburgh's draft class was larger than usual, there is a chance that the franchise has to cut one or two players that were drafted, and Heidenreich could very well be on that list.
The Steelers already have depth at wide receiver and running back, and those are the two positions he played at Navy. Beat writer Ray Fittipaldo joined 93.7 The Fan on Monday morning, and he discussed the main way that Heidenreich could break through and make the final roster.
"Listen, Eli, everything you hear about him is true," Fittipaldo said. "Coming in well prepared, faster for somebody who went to one of the service academies. I think he is going to have a chance to make this football team, it's all going to depend on what he can do on special teams. Because I don't necessarily see a role for him as a running back or a receiver right away. I think it would more so be a, 'OK, you're on the 53, now we're going to figure out exactly what you can do on offense.'"
Fittipaldo believes special teams is going to be the first priority when it comes to Heidenreich making the final roster. This means being able to cover on kickoff, and probably being a quality kickoff returner as well. He could even get in the mix when it comes to being a gunner on punts.
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Steelers' Eli Heidenreich during mandatory minicamp in 2026.
Pittsburgh's running back room is set for the most part. Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle are the clear lead backs that will share touches. Travis Homer is the veteran running back that has made a name for himself on special teams with other rosters, and he is expected to do the same in Pittsburgh. Kaleb Johnson remains a developmental project, but he was a third-round pick in 2025. It is hard to imagine the organization would just move on from him before his second season.
Steelers' Eli Heidenreich Has Received Some Ambitious Comparisons
Heidenreich had a ton of success at the college level, and he was known for his versatility. He could play wide receiver and running back while also making plays in the return game. This is similar to what Christian McCaffrey was able to do at Stanford, and that has been a common comparison for Heidenreich so far.
Kym Fortino / San Francisco 49ers
Former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Levi Wallace (left) runs toward San Francisco 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey (right).
There is obviously major differences in the two players. McCaffrey was a top-10 pick back in 2017, and he is a probable future Hall of Famer. No one should be expecting the same kind of success from Heidenreich at the NFL level, but the two have a ton of similar attributes -- and that doesn't just mean they are both white running backs.
What do you think about Eli Heidenreich's path towards making the roster? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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