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PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cam Heyward is entering his16th season in the NFL, but for a player who has carved out a Hall of Fame career, he's been treated like a second-rate player at his position.
The Steelers and their fanbase carry an understandable bias towards Heyward, but it's backed up by 15 seasons of top-rate production.
Ever since the organization selected him in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft, he's been a leader on the field and in the locker room.
That type of production and longevity is unmatched across the league.
Even with a group of elite interior defensive linemen to compare Heyward to, he stands out because of these two qualities.
This is what made his omission from ESPN's recent rankings of defensive tackles an egregious misstep and another display of disrespect toward a top NFL player.
Do Steelers Have a Top-10 DT? Not only do the Steelers have a top-10 defensive tackle in the NFL, but they also have one of the best five interior players on the defensive line.
Don't just take my word for it; look at what he's put on tape and on paper.
Last year, Heyward recorded 78 total tackles, 38 solo and 40 assisted.
He added 12 quarterback pressures, nine tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.
He also continued his yearly trend of wreaking havoc at the line of scrimmage.
He totaled 53 pressures, the 10th most among NFL defensive tackles.
According to data from Pro Football Focus, he also won 16% of his pass-rush attempts, which ranked fifth among his position.
And if he doesn't beat his blocker and get into the backfield, that doesn't mean you've eliminated Heyward from the play.
He's one of the most notorious pass disruptors at the line of scrimmage.
Last year, he batted down six passes, and he's batted down a combined 17 passes over the past two seasons.
Give the Man Some Credit What makes Heyward's exclusion from this list even more upsetting is that this was partially compiled by NFL executives, coaches and scouts.
These are the same folks who see his work up close and personal and know firsthand how difficult it is to find and sustain that success.
Heyward is an exception to the rule of modern-day football players.
He's entering his 16th year in the NFL, and he's still playing like he's in his physical prime with very little sign of slowing down.
He was named a 2nd Team All-Pro during the past campaign, and that is a reminder enough of how strong his play remains.
But for him to be left entirely off this defensive tackle ranking is purely disrespectful to Heyward's skills and longevity in the NFL.
Jacob is a featured writer covering the Pittsburgh Steelers for Steelers On SI and the NHL for Breakaway On SI.
He also co-hosts the All Steelers Talk podcast.
Previous work covering the NHL for Inside the Penguins and The Hockey News.
Follow Jake_Atsby.