The Pittsburgh Steelers have done the unthinkable to close out their seventh-round draft picks on Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft — selecting a talented, playmaking running back who has been compared to San Francisco 49ers All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey.
With the 230th overall pick in the draft, the Steelers selected Navy running back Eli Heidenreich, an excellent finish to what has been a strong Day 3 haul.
What a moment for @EHeidenreich44 🥹📺: 2026 NFL Draft April 23-25 on NFLN/ESPN/ABC pic.twitter.com/asEdKqzjmz
Heidenreich, a Pittsburgh-native who set a Navy school record for the most receiving yards in a single season (941 in 2025), possesses an elite skill set as both a rusher and a pass catcher, as well as possessing outstanding traits as a blocker.
With positional versatility that any offensive coordinator could only dream of, Heidenreich now joins a Steelers running back room featuring Jaylen Warren, Rico Dowdle, and Kaleb Johnson.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers select Navy RB Eli Heidenreich in seventh round of NFL Draft