Pass rush: Though not a true outside pass-rush threat, he will pressure the quarterback from anywhere on the line. Lines up on either end, as well as at the five-technique. Uses quickness off the snap and excellent length to split double-teams, get inside of linemen when man-up, or push back guards into the pocket. Agile enough to be effective on twists from the outside. Running backs and tight ends are no match against Heyward in pass protection. Tough one-on-one matchup for guards inside due to his lateral quickness, hustle and club move. Corrals and punishes quarterbacks in the backfield, closing quickly and exploding into the tackle. Inconsistent disengaging from blocks; better left tackles can stand him up and latch on with impunity. Can be pushed back with an initial punch but keeps coming to provide a strong secondary rush. Not a great threat to turn the corner from the edge. Forces tackle upfield and can spin inside to prevent scrambles or pressure quarterbacks stepping up into the pocket. Has the length to affect passing lanes when unable to reach the passer but could get his hands up more often.
Run defense: Strong against the run whether lining up against the guard or tackle. Crashes down to close gaps. Can spin off block if runners cut back against the grain. Crashes down on inside runs, using length to factor get in on some plays. Good punch to knock his man back, attacks the ball when it is in his area. Maintains edge discipline to prevent bootlegs on his side of the field. His height can be used against him, however, as he fails to get low on occasion and loses leverage against stronger guards and double teams. Susceptible to cut blocks, though he is athletic enough to recover and get back into the play. Too strong for tight ends to handle one-on-one, uses leverage and hands to blow through those edge blocks. Only adequate backfield awareness, will be sucked in on misdirection and lacks great change-of-direction agility.
Explosion: Excellent quickness off the snap, splits double teams with ease and provides a rare pop into his blocker's pads to knock him back. Will be first man off the ball when pinning his ears back on the rush. Very difficult for slower linemen to match his combination of strength and explosiveness, makes beating them look easy.
Strength: Flashes great upper body and hand strength, dominating most college linemen with leverage and burst, but does not consistently overwhelm better players. Does not have exceptional muscle definition in his arms. Plays tall inside and lacks a great anchor to maintain his ground against NFL-caliber double-team blocking.
Tackling: Solid tackler who can be explosive and always gives good effort. Leans when closing on the ball to ensure contact, his long arms allow him to wrap consistently. Good hustle downfield on screens, even when getting into the backfield faster than the offensive line wants. Also follows plays down the line, often to the opposite sideline. Best when attacking plays in front of him. Though he can redirect well for his height and size, he doesn't change direction easily and lacks the immediate burst to play on the edge in the NFL.
Intangibles: He has a great attitude, work ethic and immense talent. Well-liked by his teammates and coaches, he has fun playing the game. Hustles, but does not wear down much during the course of the game. Returned to school because he enjoys college, wants to win a national championship and wants to earn the title of the most dominant defensive player in college football. Father, Craig "Ironhead" Heyward was a star running back in college and the NFL. Stepfather is Cory Blackwell, a star basketball player for the Wisconsin Badgers in the 1980's who played one season for the NBA's Seattle SuperSonics.
