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Steelers Draft Naval Star Eli Heidenreich, Defers Marine Commitment

4/27/2026

40 9 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Eli Heidenreich, a Naval Academy running back, with the 230th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Heidenreich holds the Naval Academy’s all-time receiving-yards record.
He will defer a ten-year Marine Corps commitment to pursue his NFL career.
He spent the last two days of the draft in the NFL green room, after which roughly 90% of the crowd wore black and gold to greet him.

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Story summary

The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Eli Heidenreich, a Naval Academy running back, with the 230th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Heidenreich holds the Naval Academy’s all-time receiving-yards record.
He will defer a ten-year Marine Corps commitment to pursue his NFL career.
He spent the last two days of the draft in the NFL green room, after which roughly 90% of the crowd wore black and gold to greet him.