Even after a dominant first-team All-Pro season, Cameron Heyward can’t get any love from NFL executives, coaches and scouts.
After being just an honorable mention ahead of the 2024 season in ESPN’s position rankings, the Pittsburgh Steelers star defensive lineman answered a number of questions about his game. He dominated from start to finish in 2024 and was consistently the NFL’s best interior defensive lineman.
And yet, he remains on the fringes of the top 10 at the position in ESPN’s latest rankings.
Heyward landed at No. 10 in the position rankings compiled from an anonymous survey of executives, coaches and scouts. That put him behind players like Seattle’s Leonard Williams, Baltimore’s Nnamdi Madubuike, Indianapolis’ DeForest Buckner, and Tampa Bay’s Vita Vea.
The top five consisted of the New York Giants’ Dexter Lawrence, Kansas City’s Chris Jones, Philadelphia’s Jalen Carter, Tennessee’s Jeffery Simmons and the New York Jets’ Quinnen Williams.
“Heyward fueled his own Steeler legend with an age-35 performance that included a first-team All-Pro berth,” ESPN writes. “Fighting off inevitable decline, Heyward produced 8 sacks, 20 quarterback hits and a league-high 8 batted passes.
“Opposing quarterbacks posted a 1.0 QBR on drop backs when Heyward applied the first pressure. Translation: When he got deep into the backfield, he made the play, forcing 17 incompletions on the year.”
What Heyward did last season was historic. In his 14th NFL season, Heyward recorded 8.0 sacks and batted down an impressive 11 passes. Heyward’s eight sacks gave him the second-most ever recorded in the NFL by a defensive lineman his age or older, behind only Chicago Bears Hall of Famer Steve McMichael, who had 10.5 in the 1992 season.
After battling through an injury-marred 2023 season that saw him sapped of his mobility, Heyward got healthy in the offseason, signed a two-year contract extension and quelled any concerns with his level of play.
“He was healthier,” an AFC executive said of Heyward. “Got past the nagging injuries from 2023 and performed back up to his standard. He’s been good for a long time.”
Yes, he has been good for a long time. Knowing that, it’s puzzling how Heyward ranks only 10th. In the survey, his highest ranking was sixth, and his lowest ranking was shockingly unranked.
He is 36 years old and entering his 15th NFL season, but outside of the blip that was the 2023 season, he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. His power is still ridiculous, too.
While NFL defensive line talent gets better each year, there is no reason Heyward should be ranked as low as he is, unless age is the only factor. But even then, he remains elite. Few can challenge him as the best interior defensive linemen in the NFL right now.
Hopefully his ranking is another chip he can add to his shoulder ahead of the 2025 season, fueling him to dominate once again.
