During the NFL free agency period, Michigan State football alumni have been earning contracts, with Kenneth Walker III, Naquan Jones, and Jalen Nailor all receiving contracts. On the same day one alum, Jack Conklin, was sent to free agency, another received his second NFL contract. Connor Heyward is going from the black and yellow to the silver and black, with the Steeler inking a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders, per Adam Schefter.
Connor Heyward had an unusual path to the NFL
Heyward signed with Michigan State football as a running back, and started his career with MSU serving as a kick returner while L.J. Scott was the primary back alongside secondary backs Madre London and Gerald Holmes.
Heyward was thrust into the starting role in 2018 after an injury to Scott, recording 529 yards on 118 carries. However, there were complaints about the back not doing enough to serve as the primary ball carrier, with praise for his hands and blocker when Brian Lewerke carried the ball.
Those conversations were sidelined for 2019 and 2020, with Eli Collins serving as primary back after Heyward’s underwhelming start to 2019, before a bout of COVID-19 led to MSU going to backs by committee in Mel Tucker’s first season at the helm in 2020.
Heading into 2021, the Spartans acquired Kenneth Walker III, and Heyward, perhaps seeing the writing on the wall, elected to move to an H-Back and tight end role hybrid. That move turned the back from an afterthought into an NFL player, earning him a sixth round selection to reunite with older brother Cam Heyward and the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 208 overall in the 2022 Draft. The younger Heyward had 325 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns his final season with MSU, and his effort while blocking made him an NFL tight end.
Heyward has gone on to start 14 games in his 68-game career, as he has yet to miss a game after his first four NFL seasons. While not the most glamorous position, Heyward has shown value as an H-Back and special team ace, with 449 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns between his first four seasons.
With Pittsburgh and Mike Tomlin agreeing to part ways, it was unlikely that the younger Heyward would remain with the Steelers. His free agency bid was short, however, as less than 28 hours after free agency officially opened upon the start of a new league year, he is off the market with the Raiders.
Heyward reunites with fellow Spartan, 2022 draft class member
Heyward is not the only Spartan to be heading to the AFC West squad this season, as Jalen Nailor had inked a three-year, $35 million contract with Las Vegas that went official once the league year began. Heyward went a mere 17 picks after Nailor in the 2022 NFL Draft, and now the Spartans will be playing together again.
They both will square off against another teammate and 2022 draftee, Walker, twice per year in the AFC West after the Doak Walker winner with MSU signed with Kansas City.
Heyward’s deal is for two years and $5.5 million, with $2 million guaranteed. He likely gets a Big Ten quarterback throwing him the ball, as the Raiders hold the top pick of the draft and are likely taking Indiana Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza.
The former Spartan recently returned to East Lansing to watch the Spartans decimate Maryland 91-48 in January. Before the contest, the Spartan expressed optimism for new head coach Pat Fitzgerald and the Spartans for the upcoming 2026 season.
