Cam Heyward Talks Steelers NFL Draft, Joey Porter Jr., Player Who Reminds Him of Casey Hampton

The Pittsburgh Steelers are days away from selecting the next rookie class to their roster, and one of the first teammates to welcome them will be former first-round pick and All-Pro captain Cam Heyward. 

Heyward is hosting his podcast, Not Just Football, at the Steelers' NFL Draft party, and has plans to look back on some of the team's most memorable draftees. He'll also be part of the group sharing their love with whoever the Steelers draft over the three-day span. 

"I think whoever we get, it's just about welcoming them," Heyward told All Steelers. "We're going to have some really great guests in Kenny, Pat, Vince Williams, and Merrill Hodge, and we're just gonna let them share their draft experiences, and what they think of this draft, because you'll get a sense of insight from different perspectives, what they were thinking, and how it changes guys lives. To get picked by the Pittsburgh Steelers, you know, there's 31 other teams, so the odds are never in your favor."

Even if Heyward won't be in the war room during the NFL Draft, he's spent time during the process looking into potential candidates as his next teammate. Some names have been on the radar of many fans, but what the defensive tackle found was a sense of reminiscing, finding those keys to success in some of this year's class. 

"I watched a lot of D-lineman," Heyward said. "It's funny, I was looking at Siaka Ika from Baylor, and I was breaking down some of this tape. And you start to realize the guys you play with and who they remind you of, and you're just like, the little things and the way he would get off blocks. I'm not saying he is Casey Hampton, but I'm just saying he plays with violent hands and is able to reset the line of scrimmage. So, from that position, you're like, 'oh, that's a guy that could really help us out.' 

"But you look at the corner position, and you say, a guy like Joey Porter Jr. in bump and run or playing the line of scrimmage. He doesn't fear any situation. So you put him out there, you feel like, I got a corner that is ready for all moments, and is going to grow, but is going to be really successful. There's a lot of positions like that. You look at Nolan Smith or Will Anderson or Jalen Carter, or a guy like Brian Bresee from Clemson. These are all great players, that if they wind up in your system, you just want to get them around you so we can really get working on it."

Then, there's the big name floating around the Steelers, Joey Porter Jr. Heyward already mentioned he's got the potential to grow into a successful cornerback, but what about being the next hometown hero in the city of Pittsburgh? 

Heading into the draft, Porter is the odds-on favorite to be the Steelers' first-round pick at No. 17. He's met with the team at the NFL Combine, at his Pro Day and during a pre-draft visit. 

He's also known head coach Mike Tomlin, President Art Rooney II and general manager Omar Khan since his dad played for the team in the 2000's.

Porter could follow the footsteps of Heyward and Kenny Pickett, and like many before, it adds a little something special to stay home with your city's NFL team. 

"I think the way I look at it is, I can't let down this city. And I wear the black and gold on my heart. I take it so personally, that, because I'm from here, I know what this city is about," Heyward said. "So if you get a guy like Joey Porter Jr., he understands that. It's not that his dad played here. It's, I got to make a name for myself, but I gotta make sure I do what I can because I know so much of this city. I know what this city wants. It's hard-working people here. So given the opportunity, you want to succeed in your hometown."

The Steelers NFL Draft party is set to welcome Porter, or whoever they wind up with at pick 17 - with Heyward there to join the fans in that greeting. And for the six-time Pro Bowler, he's excited to be part of the celebration. 

"To be in that presence, I think is going to be really fun," Heyward said. "When they had the draft party for me, there was nothing like this before. So it's gonna be a lot of fun going forward."