Former Ohio State and current Pittsburgh Steelers’ defensive lineman Cameron Heyward has developed into one of the best interior defenders in the NFL. He doesn’t get all the accolades as those with the apparent fast-twitch athletic ability, but he makes up for it with his strength, savviness, and technique.
As a part of its preview to the 2020-2021 NFL season, ESPN is ranking the top ten of each position group, and it agrees that Heyward is a force to reckon with when it comes to the interior defensive lineman (subscription required). The worldwide leader listed the former Buckeye in its top ten after tabulating votes from a panel of opinionmakers.
But why, and where does ESPN rank Heyward based on comments from opposing coaches and players? What some of the opposing coaches say about the son of the late Craig “Ironhead” Heyward is quite interesting.