A Once-in-70-Years Moment for Navy Football
Sunday night in Annapolis felt a little louder than usual. The 2026 NFL Draft wrapped up with two Navy Midshipmen hearing their names called — the first time since 1956 that two players from the Naval Academy were drafted in the same year. Seven decades of waiting. One unforgettable weekend.
The Picks
- Landon Robinson — Nose Guard — Round 7, Pick 226 — Cincinnati Bengals
- Eli Heidenreich — Wide Receiver / Running Back — Round 7, Pick 230 — Pittsburgh Steelers
Two service academy players. Two AFC North teams. Same draft. The last time it happened, George Welsh and Ron Beagle both went to the Chicago Cardinals. That was 1956. Eisenhower was president. Football helmets barely had facemasks.
Meet the Midshipmen
Landon Robinson: The Anchor in the Trenches
The Ohio native spent three seasons in Navy’s defensive line and walked away with 153 tackles across 38 games. He earned the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year nod in 2025 and served as co-captain on a team that finished 11-2. Coaches pointed to his weight-room numbers as the loudest in the program. Cincinnati needed beef in the middle. They got it.
Eli Heidenreich: The Swiss Army Knife
Heidenreich did a little bit of everything. Wideout, running back, the kind of player who lined up wherever the ball needed to go. Over three seasons, he piled up more than 100 catches and nearly two dozen touchdowns. The Steelers love versatility on offense, and Pittsburgh just got a player who treats the offensive playbook like a buffet.
What Comes Next: Football First, Service Later
Both players graduate from the Naval Academy in May and will commission as Navy reservists. Under provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act, a limited number of service academy athletes can defer active-duty service to play professionally. The country gets the talent later. The NFL gets it first.
It’s the kind of arrangement that draws debate every cycle, but the policy stands: train for service, prove yourself on the field, then suit up in the league. The active-duty years are coming. They just take a detour through Sunday afternoons.
Why This Matters Beyond Annapolis
Two seventh-round picks won’t reshape the NFL. But the story isn’t about draft capital. It’s about what shows up when you mix four years of pre-dawn formations with elite athletic talent. Service academy players show up to camp with a discipline most rookies have to earn. Coaches notice. Locker rooms notice.
Navy beat Army 17-16 back in December and finished the season ranked 23rd in the AP poll. Now two of those Midshipmen get a shot at extending careers neither of them was promised. Whether they make final rosters or end up on practice squads, they already did something nobody from the Yard has done in 70 years.
The Takeaway
You don’t need to be a top-ten pick to write history. Sometimes you just need to grind through three a.m. wake-ups, beat your rival in December, and outwork the field. The Bengals and Steelers got bargains. Navy got a moment to remember.
Salute to Robinson and Heidenreich. Anchors aweigh — and good luck out there.