Unnamed NFL Coach Praises Steelers’ Cam Heyward, nonetheless ‘Now not an Elite Athlete’

Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward has dominated the NFL all the intention thru the previous couple of years no topic physical barriers.

“So technically sound that he can take care of anything,” one NFL defensive coach acknowledged of Heyward, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. “When he’s on his plan, he can’t be stopped. It be no longer frequently athlete versus athlete with him due to he’s so nice looking. He has athletic arrogance that he doubtlessly put no longer get due to he’s no longer an elite athlete.

Heyward used to be named the sixth-finest internal defensive lineman within the NFL in a poll of 50 league executives and team personnel, with out a longer no longer up to 1 vote inserting him as high as third general.

The nine-300 and sixty five days used has particularly impressed within the closing three seasons, earning three Pro Bowl choices and two first-team All-Pro honors in that span. 

The 31-300 and sixty five days-former has 54 sacks in his occupation, with 29 coming within the previous three years. He by no plan topped 7.5 sacks in any of his first six years within the league nonetheless has no longer no longer up to eight in every of the closing three.

Heyward has additionally stumbled on methods to make contributions in diverse methods, environment a private high with 83 tackles closing 300 and sixty five days with 23 quarterback hits and 6 passes defended. Per Pro Soccer Reference, he had the seventh-perfect approximate mark within the NFL in 2019. 

His power and plan help him thrive even at an evolved age, with he and J.J. Watt the most productive avid gamers over 30 ranked within the prime 10 at the self-discipline.

There are obvious considerations about Heyward’s athleticism when compared with others better within the ranking, including Aaron Donald, Chris Jones, Fletcher Cox and DeForest Buckner. Donald (4.68 seconds) and Cox (4.77 seconds) both thrived in their 40-yard dashes at the combine, while Heyward’s 4.95 seconds used to be a step within the reduction of.

Composed, the used continues to thrive for a Pittsburgh defense that ranked within the prime five in both yards and factors towards in 2019.