Michigan State’s Connor Heyward gets wish to team up with brother for Steelers

As Connor Heyward went by means of the pre-draft course of, he frequently felt curiosity from the Steelers.

Nonetheless, truly getting chosen by Pittsburgh was somewhat an excessive amount of for the Michigan State fifth-year senior tight finish to ascertain as a result of that might imply changing into teammates along with his older brother, All-Professional defensive lineman Cameron Heyward. Then it grew to become actuality.

Heyward was chosen by the Steelers with the thirtieth decide within the sixth spherical (No. 208 general) of the 2022 NFL draft on Saturday and can be a part of the workforce he grew up watching.

“No, I by no means teased myself one bit,” Heyward mentioned on Saturday. “I needed to see it occur, and if it didn’t occur, I wasn’t going to place that in my head. So now that it did occur, I’m glad it did.”

It was 11 years in the past when Heyward, age 12, was within the room with Cameron as he was drafted by the Steelers within the first spherical. The 2 had been collectively once more in Georgia on Saturday as Heyward’s title got here off the board. Town is a part of the household as a result of his mother and father, Charlotte and Craig, met on the College of Pittsburgh. Craig “Ironhead” Heyward was a star rusher for the Panthers that went on to play 11 seasons within the NFL earlier than dying of mind most cancers in 2006 at age 39.

Though Heyward was born and raised in Georgia, he feels a connection to the town. Now he will likely be a part of it, even when it wasn’t anticipated.

“My brother was simply as stunned as I used to be, and we had been each simply extraordinarily glad,” Heyward mentioned. “I’m not born in Pittsburgh, however Pittsburgh means rather a lot and (Cameron’s) concerned rather a lot. So, this simply means that rather more to me.”

Heyward’s first 4 seasons at Michigan State – together with a stint within the switch portal – had been spent at working again. After the Spartans added Wake Forest working again switch Kenneth Walker III, who went on to be named an All-American in his lone season with this system and was picked by the Seahawks within the second spherical on Friday, Heyward moved to tight finish/H-back in fall camp. He thrived within the new function whereas posting 35 catches for 326 yards and two touchdowns and being a standout blocker final season.

The swap paid off with invites to the Senior Bowl and NFL Scouting Mix and it’s one Heyward clearly appreciates now.

“I don’t assume I’d be on this place if I didn’t,” he mentioned.

At 5-foot-11 and 233 kilos, Heyward doesn’t have prototypical size for a good finish however possesses sturdy arms and a flexible skillset. That led to groups having totally different projections for find out how to use him. Heyward mentioned the Steelers view him as a good finish/H-back/fullback and he plans on persevering with to deal with particular groups.

“They like my versatility and I believe that they’ve a plan for me,” Heyward mentioned. “It doesn’t matter what that’s, I’m going to embrace it and I’m simply excited to be a Steeler.”

The Steelers, remarkably, at the moment are as much as 4 units of brothers on the workforce. Nonetheless, coach Mike Tomlin pointed to Heyward’s expertise and never his bloodline as a cause for drafting him.

“Connor’s resume speaks for itself,” Tomlin mentioned. “He’s a Swiss Military knife. He’s very proficient, he has a pleasant skillset, he’s a succesful runner, he’s a succesful blitz pickup man, he’s superb when it comes to the display screen sport timing and really feel. He made some performs down the sphere as a good finish in that offense. He’s a bodily man. We think about that he might be an offensive contributor in groups. He was very worthy of that consideration and I didn’t need to water that down in any approach by together with massive brother.”

Heyward mentioned the facial features from Cameron when discovering on the market had been going to be teammates was “priceless.” Nonetheless, whereas the 2 appeared on ESPN Saturday evening, the older brother and four-time All-Professional joked his new teammate higher get used to carrying his shoulder pads as a rookie.

“He’s going to study some issues alongside the way in which, I’m going to let him expertise it as effectively,” Cameron mentioned. “I’m going to verify I do no matter I can to verify he has an excellent profession.”

Shifting to Pittsburgh, Heyward mentioned he’ll in all probability dwell along with his grandmother or Cameron to get located earlier than doubtless getting his personal place. That’s not a chief concern in the meanwhile. It’s the conclusion he’s going to the NFL and will likely be enjoying along with his brother for the primary time, which he mentioned gained’t hit him till tomorrow or their first follow.

“He’s been a giant brother, however extra of a father determine,” Heyward mentioned. “I imply, I can take the robust love. I’m form of anticipating it to return into camp, however it makes the expertise that rather more enjoyable.”

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