It's been an up-and-down roller coaster for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the 2026 NFL Draft. But no matter how things started, the team wrapped things up with one of the best moments in draft history when they drafted Navy running back Eli Heidenreich. Heidenreich was backstage at the draft in his full uniform when he got the call. Heidenreich, a Pittsburgh native came out to a roaring crowd, Terrible Towel in hand and got the first-round pick treatment.
Heidenreich had his draft moment and it was well deserved. He went out into the crowd and saw the fans who couldn't wait to congratulate him. Heidenreich later returned to the set and went up with the ESPN hosts to talk about the experience. Heidenreich said he had no idea the Steelers were going to pick him, and he had already spoken to a team about signing with them after the draft as an undrafted free agent. Instead, he gets selected by the team he grew up rooting for.
