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How Navy's Eli Heidenreich is perfect NFL Draft pick for Pittsburgh Steelers
TL;DR
Eli Heidenreich from the Naval Academy is an ideal NFL Draft pick for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is expected to be targeted in the middle rounds due to his strong local ties and championship background.
Key points
- Eli Heidenreich is from the Naval Academy.
- He is a state champion from Mt. Lebanon High School.
- The Pittsburgh Steelers are interested in him for the NFL Draft.
Mentioned in this story
Naval AcademyMt. Lebanon High School
Eli HeidenreichPittsburgh Steelers
How Navy's Eli Heidenreich is perfect NFL Draft pick for Pittsburgh Steelers originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Eli Heidenreich are the perfect match.
As the NFL Draft approaches, it's not the kind of thing many people would be talking about. Heidenreich isn't a flashy first-round prospect, and there's a lot less speculation pre-draft about the later rounds.
But the superstar from the Naval Academy is exactly the player the Steelers should target in the middle rounds.
For one, he was a state champion at Mt. Lebanon High School locally.
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It's much more than that, too.
Navy's offense is obviously not an NFL-style operation, but in Heidenreich's case, that may simply increase his versatility.
He ran 77 times for 499 yards (6.5 yards per carry) in 2025 and also set Navy records by catching 51 passes for 941 yards. He scored nine offensive touchdowns.
His physical traits match the production, too.
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Eli Heidenreich NFL Combine stats
Heidenreich measured 6-feet tall, 198 pounds at the Combine. That could work in a backfield or as a receiver.
He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.44 seconds.
His vertical jump was 35.5 inches, and his broad jump was exactly 10 feet.
The Navy grad did 16 reps of the bench press.
Q&A
Why is Eli Heidenreich considered a good NFL Draft pick for the Steelers?
Eli Heidenreich is viewed as a good pick for the Steelers due to his strong performance at the Naval Academy and his local ties as a state champion.
What are Eli Heidenreich's achievements before the NFL Draft?
Before the NFL Draft, Eli Heidenreich was a state champion at Mt. Lebanon High School and had a successful collegiate career at the Naval Academy.
In which rounds of the NFL Draft is Eli Heidenreich expected to be selected?
Eli Heidenreich is expected to be targeted in the middle rounds of the NFL Draft.
