13. CONNOR HEYWARD | Michigan State 5111 | 233 lbs. | rSR. Duluth, Ga.
(Peachtree Ridge) 1/22/1999 (age 23.27) #11
BACKGROUND: Connor Heyward, who is the youngest of four boys, was born and
raised in the Atlanta area and started playing football at age 7. He grew
up playing
quarterback, running back, wide receiver, linebacker and safety and that
versatility continued into high school. Heyward attended Peachtree Ridge
High in Suwanee
where he was a three-year varsity starter (teammates with South Carolina DE
Kingsley Enagbare). As a starting wide receiver as a senior, he recorded 47
catches for
580 yards and six touchdowns and also saw snaps at quarterback and running
back, rushing for 261 yards and 10 touchdowns. On defense, Heyward started
at safety
and finished the 2016 season with 71 tackles and three interceptions while
also handling the punting duties. He earned First Team All-County and
Honorable Mention
All-State honors as a senior captain. Heyward finished his prep career with
36 total touchdowns (17 receiving, 14 rushing, five passing). He also
lettered in basketball
and was a four-year starter at guard.
A three-star recruit out of high school, Heyward was the No. 53 athlete in
the 2017 recruiting class and the No. 72 recruit in the state of Georgia.
He was recruited at
several different positions and committed to Michigan State over Arizona
State, Pittsburgh and Rutgers. Heyward played primarily at running back his
first four
seasons before transitioning to a tight end or H-back role in 2021. He
briefly entered the transfer portal after the 2019 season, but decided to
stay in East Lansing. His
father (Craig), nicknamed “Ironhead”, was an All-American running back at
Pittsburgh and was drafted in the first round (No. 24 overall) of the 1988
NFL Draft by the
New Orleans Saints, playing 11 seasons in the NFL. Craig was diagnosed with
a brain tumor in 1998 and passed away (May 2006) when Connor was only 7.
Connor’s
older brother (Cameron) was a defensive lineman at Ohio State and was
drafted in the first round (No. 31 overall) in the 2011 NFL Draft by the
Pittsburgh Steelers and
has been a five-time Pro Bowler. His older brother (Corey) was a four-year
starting guard on the Georgia Tech basketball team (2013-17). His older
half-brother (Craig
Jr.) was a walk-on running back at Middle Tennessee State (2006-09).
Heyward graduated with his degree in communications (May 2021). He accepted
his invitation
to the 2022 Senior Bowl.
YEAR (GP/GS) CAR YDS AVG TD REC YDS AVG TD NOTES
2017: (12/0) 3 10 3.3 0 4 13 3.2 1 RB
2018: (13/8) 118 529 4.5 5 32 249 7.8 0 RB; Led team in rushing
2019: (4/1) 24 79 3.3 0 7 52 7.4 1 RB; Redshirted
2020: (7/6) 65 200 3.1 0 18 71 3.9 2 RB; Led team in rush attempts
2021: (13/13) 1 7 7.0 0 35 326 9.3 2 TE; Honorable Mention All-Big Ten
Total: (49/28) 211 825 3.9 5 96 711 7.4 6
HT WT ARM HAND WING 40-YD 20-YD 10-YD VJ BJ SS 3C BP
COMBINE 5111 233 31 7/8 9 1/2 76 1/4 4.72 2.74 1.64 32 1/2 - - - - (no
broad, shuttles, bench press – choice)
PRO DAY 5111 237 31 3/4 9 3/4 77 1/4 - - - - - - - 18 (stood on Combine
numbers)
STRENGTHS: Strong mitts as a pass-catcher to consistently finish through
contact … excellent snatching focus away from his body … sky-high
conversion rate in
contested situations … physical play style mid-route to jar defenders off
his route path … lowers his pads and barrels into contact as a ball carrier
… not a fun player to
tackle and runs with the determination expected of a former running back …
has a blocking appetite … understands his blocking assignments to connect
and get into
position … has experience as a kick returner, averaging 21.9 yards per
return (33/723/0) … he ran the punt unit and was the personal protector on
punts … the
coaches say he was an ignitor of the Spartans’ productive 2021 season … his
bloodlines should have him well prepared for NFL life.
WEAKNESSES: Top-heavy body type with tweener size … his lack of length is
evident when attempting to block edge defenders … relies more on toughness
than
technique as a point-of-attack blocker … expanded his route tree as a
senior, but his route skills remain a work in progress, especially down the
field … inefficient
in/out of route breaks and needs to introduce more tempo mid-route …
inexperienced making read-based adjustments … runs hard, but doesn’t have
the speed to
scare defenses … left the Michigan State team (September 2019) because he
was unhappy with his playing time and role (decided to return to the team
in 2020).
SUMMARY: A three-year starter at Michigan State, Heyward transitioned to
H-back as a senior in offensive coordinator Jay Johnson’s scheme, lining up
in the
backfield and slot. His playing time at running back was sporadic his first
four seasons and he wasn’t considered a legitimate NFL prospect, although
his position
switch as a senior gave scouts a new perspective of his talents. Heyward
makes athletic plays on the football because of his body control and focus
and drops were
scarce on his film. He does a great job playing through contact, but lacks
ideal length and will struggle to sustain as a blocker. Overall, Heyward
needs to adapt a
more disciplined approach to his blocking and route-running, but he is a
balanced, instinctive athlete with high-level ball skills. His versatility
and toughness give
him a chance to stick in a hybrid H-back role.
GRADE: 5th-6th Round
