Eli Heidenreich Worth the Wait for Steelers

Eli Heidenreich is one of the names to watch when the Pittsburgh Steelers begin their training camp and preseason. The team's seventh-round draft choice is not only a local success story out of Mt. Lebanon High School, but he is also a player with a legitimate chance to crack the 53-man roster.

And it's not just the hometown ties that give Heidenreich a shot to make the Steelers' roster in 2026. The 22-year-old might be a betting favorite to make the practice squad rather than the main roster this year, but he brings a valuable skill set that makes him a real candidate to be a bottom-of-the-depth-chart player for Mike McCarthy's offense.

While it's not my belief that Heidenreich is destined for the Christian McCaffrey-like career some believe he is, I do believe that the former Navy Midshipman can become a valuable player out of both the backfield and out wide as a receiver, much like former Cincinnati Bengals and New England Patriots running back Rex Burkhead was able to accomplish during his NFL career.

Why Steelers Landed Another Rex Burkhead

Let's start with the fact that both were very accomplished players in the NCAA. Burkhead attended Nebraska, and he was the focal point of the Cornhuskers' offense, much like Heidenreich was with Navy over the past two seasons.

While Burkhead was primarily a runner for Nebraska, his career became the archetype that Heidenreich can emulate to find success. During his NFL stint, Burkhead registered at least 250 rushing yards five times, highlighted by a career-best 427 yards in 2021.

He was also one of the most respected receiving threats among running backs. In addition to being a consistent change of pace back, he posted seven seasons with over 150 receiving yards, topping the 200-yard mark three times.