Eli Heidenreich
American football player (born 2003)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Elijah Heidenreich (born July 28, 2003) is an American professional football player for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the United States Naval Academy.
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Heidenreich in 2025 | |
| No. 29 – Pittsburgh Steelers | |
|---|---|
| Position | Running back |
| Roster status | Unsigned draft pick |
| Personal information | |
| Born | July 28, 2003 |
| Listed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Listed weight | 198 lb (90 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Mt. Lebanon (Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania) |
| College |
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| NFL draft | 2026: 7th round, 230th overall pick |
| Career history | |
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| Awards and highlights | |
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| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
Early life
Heidenreich attended Mt. Lebanon High School in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh. During his senior season, he finished with 54 catches for 1,325 yards and 28 touchdowns, leading his team to a state championship.[1] Coming out of high school, Heidenreich committed to play college football for the Navy Midshipmen.[2]
College career
During his first season in 2022, he did not appear in any games.[3] During the 2023 season, Heidenreich notched 214 rushing yards and a touchdown, while also bringing in 19 receptions for 382 yards and four touchdowns.[4] In week six of the 2024 season, he notched 100 yards on the ground, while also hauling in five passes for 101 yards in a win against rival Air Force.[5] He finished the 2024 season, rushing for 444 yards and three touchdowns, while also hauling in 39 passes for 671 yards and six touchdowns.[6] In week six of the 2025 season, Heidenreich recorded eight receptions for 243 yards and three touchdowns in a win over rival Air Force, where he set team records for receiving yards in a game, and career receiving touchdowns.[7][8] In week twelve, he set the Navy all-time receiving yards record surpassing Rob Taylor, after hauling in five passes for 146 yards in an upset win over South Florida.[9][10] For his performance during the 2025 season, Heidenreich was invited to participate in the 2026 East-West Shrine Bowl.[11]
Professional career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | Wingspan | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | 206 lb (93 kg) | 29+1⁄4 in (0.74 m) | 9+1⁄2 in (0.24 m) | 6 ft 1+1⁄4 in (1.86 m) | 4.44 s | 1.55 s | 2.57 s | 4.22 s | 6.55 s | 36.0 in (0.91 m) | 10 ft 0 in (3.05 m) | 16 reps |
| All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day[12][13] | ||||||||||||
In the 2026 NFL draft, Heidenreich was selected by his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers in the seventh round with the 230th overall pick.[14]