Former running back at Michigan State. 2021: 7 rushing yards, 35 catches.
6′0″ · 230 lb · Duluth, GA
Recruiting
ATH recruit
No. 714 nationally · Signed with Michigan State
No college snaps yet.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Former running back at Michigan State. 2021: 7 rushing yards, 35 catches.
Connor Heyward
Five seasons at Michigan State, two different head coaches: Mark Dantonio and Mel Tucker.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
How it ended
Five seasons at Michigan State, 825 rushing yards — drafted at #208 overall by Pittsburgh.
His career
He was on the field for 5 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
Career arc
Coaching lineage · 2017–2021
2 coachesCoaching transition mid-career: Mark Dantonio → Mel Tucker. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
Where He Ended Up · NFL
PittsburghEntering 5th NFL season
Season context · Team result + system
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
Elite: yards / carry (97th percentile). Strength: rec yards (96th percentile). Concern: rush yards (0th percentile).
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Pat Fitzgerald
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Player standing · 2021
Earning real snaps in the rotation without a starting job.
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Michigan State | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 0 | -- |
| 2020 | Michigan State | 65 | 200 | 3.1 | 0 | -- |
| 2019 | Michigan State | 24 | 79 | 3.3 | 0 | -- |
| 2018 | Michigan State | 118 | 529 | 4.5 | 5 | -- |
| 2017 | Michigan State | 3 | 10 | 3.3 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 211 | 825 | 3.9 | 5 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Michigan State | 35 | 326 | 9.3 | 2 | -- |
| 2020 | Michigan State | 18 | 71 | 3.9 | 2 | -- |
| 2019 | Michigan State | 7 | 52 | 7.4 | 1 | -- |
| 2018 | Michigan State | 32 | 249 | 7.8 | 0 | -- |
| 2017 | Michigan State | 4 | 13 | 3.2 | 1 | -- |
| Career | 96 | 711 | 7.4 | 6 | -- |
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 9 · 2021
W 37–33
vs Michigan
2 rec · 10 yds
Edged out Michigan at home in a shootout.
With B. Baringer — 1 SOLO · 1 TOT · 55 AVG · K. Walker — 197 rush yds (23 car) · 5 TD
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
Game log · Week-by-week
2021 season · 11 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 38-21@ Northwestern | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Wk 3 | W 38-17@ Miami | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Wk 4 | W 23-20vs Nebraska | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Wk 5 | W 48-31vs Western Kentucky | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Wk 6 | W 31-13@ Rutgers | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Wk 7 | W 20-15@ Indiana | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Wk 9 | W 37-33vs Michigan | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Wk 10 | L 29-40@ Purdue | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Wk 11 | W 40-21vs Maryland | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Wk 12 | L 7-56@ Ohio State | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Wk 13 | W 30-27vs Penn State | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Total | — | — | — | — | — |