Are Steelers grooming Isaiahh Loudermilk to be the next Cameron Heyward?

The Steelers made a very interesting move when they traded back into the draft for Isaiahh Loudermilk. Is the plan for him to be the next Cameron Heyward? 

The Steelers were extremely limited when it came to spending money prior to the NFL Draft. Pittsburgh was forced to let a number of quality players walk this offseason simply because they didn’t have the funds to offer them new deals.

Leading up to the NFL Draft, many thought the Steelers would be more adamant about trying to fill a few positions of need. When those needs weren’t met, many thought the Steelers would address these needs early in the 2021 NFL Draft.

For some, they did. The Steelers filled the void at running back with Alabama’s Najee Harris and they spent their second-round pick to improve the tight end position with Pat Freiermuth. Unfortunately, other needs went unmet.

Cornerback was deemed by many to be one of Pittsburgh’s biggest needs entering the draft after the team lost both Steven Nelson and Mike Hilton early in the offseason. However, the team took just one defensive back, Tre Norwood, in the 7th round (who projects as a safety for the Steelers).

One move I don’t think anyone expected them to make was to trade back into the draft for a defensive lineman. Entering the NFL Draft, the defensive line was arguably the best and deepest position on the roster. Pittsburgh had Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt up front and was able to re-sign both Tyson Alualu and Chris Wormley. In addition, younger recent draft picks like Isaiah Buggs and Carlos Davis both did enough to impress at times in limited action.

So when the team traded a 2022 4th round pick to move back into the draft and grab Isaiahh Loudermilk, everyone seemed surprised. However, after watching the big defensive lineman, it’s not hard to see why Pittsburgh had so much interest. He really fits the mold of a Steelers 5-technique and perhaps the plans for him are even greater than expected.

Steelers may hope to replace Heyward with Loudermilk in a few years

While it’s obviously far too early to tell what type of player Isaiahh Loudermilk will be in the NFL, I wouldn’t be surprised if they had pretty big plans for the rookie – plans that could even have him taking over for Cameron Heyward in a few years when he hangs up his cleats.

The Steelers signed Heyward to a four-year extension last offseason, and the team can get out of the final year of his deal in 2024. Loudermilk was nowhere near the same level of prospect as Heyward coming out of college. his production was sub-par and he was often banged up – playing just 1 full season in four years.

Still, the Steelers apparently have high hopes. This is a team that has valued the 5-technique defensive lineman for a few generations now. It’s not easy to find powerful players that are 6’5”-plus who can hold up at the point of attack and get some pressure on the quarterback.

While he didn’t test as a great athlete as a defensive end, he’s actually quite impressive when compared to interior defensive linemen. Loudermilk measured in at over 6’6” and tested as a 79th percentile athlete compared to defensive tackles, according to Relative Athletic Score. He’s got some potential to be a player who could stick around.

I don’t imagine that any late-round defensive lineman they draft is ever going to be able to live up to Cameron Heyward. However, it’s possible that the Steelers thought Isaiahh Loudermilk was a player they could groom for this position. We will see what he brings to the table soon.