Cameron Heyward

Cameron Heyward (born May 6, 1989) is an American football 3-4 defensive end for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Early Years
Cameron Heyward was born in Pittsburgh before moving to Georgia for High School. He was the 2006 Georgia Class 5A Defensive Player of the Year when he played for Peachtree Ridge High School. Peachtree Ridge High School tied for the Georgia Class 5A State Championship that same year. He totaled over 100 tackles and 16 sacks as a Senior. He was considered the 7th best football player in Georgia, and the 13th best defensive tackle in the nation by Scout.com. He benched 335 pounds and squatted 510 pounds, and was considered a scholar athlete at Peachtree Ridge High School with a GPA of 3.2.

College career
As a true freshman in 2007, Heyward was named a freshman All-American by Sporting News, Rivals.com and Scout.com after recording 30 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and 2 passes broken up. The Ohio State Buckeyes went to the BCS National Championships with Heyward as a freshman, losing to Louisiana State University 38 to 24.

In 2008, he recorded 36 tackles and three sacks. The Buckeyes made it to another bowl game in the 2009 Fiesta Bowl against Texas, losing 24 to 21.

As a junior, in 2009, he had 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks, leading the Ohio State Buckeyes to the Rose Bowl, in which the Buckeyes won 26 to 17 against Oregon. Following his junior season, Heyward decided against declaring for the NFL Draft, instead returning for his senior season with the Buckeyes.

Heyward amassed 48 total tackles and 3.5 sacks in his senior season, returning an interception for a career high 80 yards against Miami. He led the Buckeyes to a berth in the Allstate 2011 Sugar Bowl, beating the Arkansas Razorbacks 31 to 26.

Heyward finished his career at Ohio State with 162 tackles, 31 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, and one interception.

Pittsburgh Steelers
Heyward was drafted in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft (31st overall) by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

On July 29, 2011, Heyward signed a four-year deal with an option of a fifth year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He wore number 95 throughout the preseason before switching to 97 prior to opening day.

On December 4, 2011 in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Heyward recorded his first NFL field goal block, after getting a hand on a 33 yard attempt by Cincinnati's Mike Nugent.

Personal
Heyward is the son of the late NFL running back Craig "Ironhead" Heyward,.