Eli Heidenreich
Eli Heidenreich
The Steelers want to make sure that Eli Heidenreich, the local Navy product they drafted in the seventh round, is more than just a good story. He is listed as a running back on their depth chart, and before he makes the roster, he has to prove himself. OC Brian Angelichio talked about the rookie’s path ahead, understanding he has an uphill battle.
“Like with all our players, position flexibility, the more you can do is certainly beneficial, whether it’s on teams or playing offense, splitting out, playing in the backfield”, he said of Heidenreich, via the Steelers’ website. “He’ll be included in the mix, and we’re going to stress him as much as we can mentally and just see where this thing goes”.
While Heidenreich has a diverse skill set, he is a running back first. Unless he earns a roster spot purely through special teams, he will also have to show he can get the job done on offense. The Steelers already have Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle at running back, with second-year Kaleb Johnson looking more focused than last season. On top of that, Travis Homer would be favored for a roster spot dictated by special teams.
Everyone behind Warren and Dowdle, of course, will be expected to contribute on special teams. Whether that’s one running back or two, that’s just the expectation for running backs that far down the depth chart. Heidenreich may be best suited for a return role, but he would likely be Kaden Wetjen’s backup.
Eli Heidenreich exited Navy’s football program as their all-time leading receiver. On 109 catches, he produced 1,994 yards with 16 touchdowns, averaging 18.3 yards per catch. He also rushed for 1,557 yards on 169 carries, adding 7 more scores.
Part of the question is how Heidenreich’s skill set translates to an NFL offense facing NFL defenses. The Navy program and its level of competition make such a projection more difficult than major college programs. That’s why, despite having a similar athletic makeup to somebody like Christian McCaffrey, he fell to the seventh round.
But if he is who they hoped he could be, Heidenreich would be a home run for the Steelers. That’s why, as Brian Angelichio said, they want to stress him this training camp and preseason. They want to make sure he is battle-tested before they decide whether he is part of their best possible 53-man roster.
This past week, Alex Kozora provided his early assessment of the Steelers’ rookie draft class. Of Heidenreich, he wrote that he “hasn’t done much ‘wrong’ but will have to maximize his limited opportunities and make plays on special teams. He has plenty of plates to spin to make the 53”. Noting that he has been used in the important personal protector role, that is one indication, though, that they want to give him every opportunity to carve out a spot for himself on the roster.