Navy NFL – The Bengals selected Landon Robinson and the Steelers picked Eli Heidenreich in the same NFL draft, marking Navy’s first two players taken since 1956—thanks to a military service deferment pathway.
Navy’s football program doesn’t often feel like a pipeline to the NFL, so when two Midshipmen were drafted back-to-back, it instantly turned into a national talking point.
The Cincinnati Bengals used the 226th overall pick in Round 7 to select defensive tackle Landon Robinson.. Just four picks later. the Pittsburgh Steelers took his teammate. running back Eli Heidenreich—ending what the NFL described as Navy’s first time landing two drafted players since 1956.. For a service academy that competes under a very different set of constraints than most college programs. the moment carries extra symbolism: the worlds of professional sports and military obligation rarely align this neatly.
Two Midshipmen taken four picks apart
Heidenreich has drawn attention for his versatility. He’s a dual-threat running back who can also operate as a receiver, a skill set that teams value in modern offenses built around motion, mismatches, and multi-dimensional touches.
During his three-year Navy career. Heidenreich totaled 1. 157 rushing yards and added receiving production with 109 catches and 1. 994 yards. plus a combined 16 rushing and receiving touchdowns.. Last season. his stat line featured clear peaks that helped put him on NFL radars: 499 rushing yards. 51 receptions. 941 receiving yards. and six receiving touchdowns.
Robinson, meanwhile, was a consistent presence in the middle of Navy’s defensive front.. In three seasons. he recorded 153 tackles. 14.5 sacks. and forced two fumbles. numbers that reflect more than just flash—they suggest disruption at the point of attack and the kind of reliability coaches want when they’re projecting a player to pro-level complexity.
The draft timing matters too.. Getting two selections from the same school in the same draft. especially in a league where service academies can be overlooked in early rounds. is a reminder that talent doesn’t always map to conventional scouting narratives.. For the players. it also means their NFL entry isn’t built on a single opportunity; it’s reinforced by a shared validation.
How military deferment makes NFL careers possible
The larger story behind this draft is policy as much as football. A provision in the National Defense Authorization Act allows service academy players to defer mandatory military service while pursuing professional sports.
Under that structure, Robinson and Heidenreich would presumably enter a 10-year service contract. That framework is designed to let them fulfill their obligation later—after their NFL playing days—while they remain eligible for active-duty deferment during their pro careers.
For NFL teams, that’s a crucial detail.. It doesn’t just shape a roster decision; it influences contract thinking and long-term planning because it clarifies the timeline of availability and when service commitments resume.. For the players and their families. it changes the stakes in a practical way: the path to the NFL exists. but it comes with a scheduled return to military responsibility.
Up to five members of each service academy—Air Force, Army, and Navy—can defer active duty for professional sports at a time. That limit helps explain why this kind of NFL moment is comparatively rare. When it does happen, it tends to stand out precisely because the mechanism is constrained.
What it could mean for Navy and the NFL
This isn’t just a feel-good milestone for Navy fans.. The NFL draft can have a ripple effect on recruiting and perception—especially for programs that aren’t typically expected to export multiple players to the league in the same class.. A two-player draft haul reinforces that the combination of discipline. athletic development. and on-field production can translate to the pro game.
It also raises a broader question about how the league evaluates players from nontraditional football contexts.. Modern NFL rosters increasingly value specialized skill sets—route-running and receiving reliability from running backs. interior pressure from defensive tackles—and both Heidenreich and Robinson fit those patterns in ways scouts can translate even when the offensive and defensive schemes aren’t built to mirror NFL systems.
There’s a human side to that evaluation too.. For athletes who commit to a service academy. the dream of playing professional sports can feel distant not because it’s impossible. but because timing and obligation collide.. A deferment pathway doesn’t remove that tension—it manages it—so every roster move like this one becomes a case study in balancing two forms of duty.
Looking ahead. the Bengals and Steelers decisions may also encourage more curiosity from other teams and more attention from prospective prospects who want both a football future and a long-term commitment to service.. If Navy keeps producing players who can contribute immediately. the “once in a long while” nature of this kind of draft moment could soften over time—without changing the rules that make it rare in the first place.