First Call: Cam Heyward cracks NFL top 100; Gavin McKenna already shifting NCAA hockey betting

Friday’s “First Call” finds the first Pittsburgh Steeler to make the NFL’s top 100 list. We examine the chances of the Steelers signing a high-profile safety. We take a look at the Pirates-Twins series.

And we see exactly how much Penn State’s Gavin McKenna is already impacting the NCAA hockey world.

Heyward in the top 100

Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward is on the NFL’s Top 100 list. The 15th-year veteran came in at No. 83 in the balloting.

NFL Top 100 Players of 2025:@Steelers DL Cam Heyward lands at No. 83! @NFLFilms pic.twitter.com/Mv3QNGNva3

— NFL (@NFL) July 10, 2025

This is the ninth time Heyward has appeared on the list. Only 16 players can boast that achievement.

A year ago, Heyward was No. 98. He was No. 45 in 2003. The 2024 campaign marked the fourth time Heyward was a first-team All-Pro.

The 36-year-old posted eight sacks in ‘24. He also had a team-leading 11 pass deflections, the most of any non-defensive back in the NFL.

Heyward is the first Steeler to be revealed on the list so far. The top 10 will be announced on Sunday, Sept. 1 at 8 p.m. ET on the NFL Network.

Simmons semantics

Now that the Steelers have traded Minkah Fitzpatrick, the club is thin at safety.

One name that frequently gets linked to the Steelers on the free agent front is Justin Simmons. The 31-year-old is a two-time Pro Bowler who spent 2016-23 in Denver and 2024 with the Atlanta Falcons.

Simmons says he enjoyed his time in Georgia. But he wants a team closer to the Super Bowl.

“I think Atlanta, I would still pick 10 out of 10 times if I was in the spot last year,” Simmons said to Sean Keeler of the Denver Post. “But in terms of where I’m at now, being a little bit more picky where we want to go and where we want to call home next … The next two years, a year, whatever it is, a contender is No. 1 on the list right now.”

Do the Steelers count as that? They were 10-7 last year and lost a first-round playoff game. Is there really much reason to believe the Steelers are going to be any better than that record a year ago?

Bet MGM has the Steelers at 8.5 wins. The Falcons were 8-9 last year. So maybe the Steelers aren’t Simmons’ speed, even if the Steelers can come up with the money to pay him.

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Bad match

If the Pirates are to finally break their six-game losing streak in Minnesota tonight, a few things have to give.

First of all, they need to get a road win. Not only have they lost all six games of this road trip so far in Seattle and Kansas City, but the Bucs are 12-35 away from PNC Park this season. Only Colorado and the Chicago white Sox have fewer road wins at 11 apiece.

Second, their opponent, the Twins, have been good at home this year. Minnesota is 26-19 at Target Field. They’ve taken two of three in each of their last two home series against the Chicago Cubs and Tampa Bay Rays.

Not only that, but Paul Skenes is pitching. For a normal team, that would be great news. Unfortunately, the Pirates are only 9-10 in his starts this year, despite his 1.94 ERA. Even more bizarre, the Buccos are 5-6 when Skenes starts on the road in spite of the fact that he has a microscopic 1.65 ERA.

Furthermore, Joe Ryan is on the mound for Minnesota.

Joe Ryan's Ungodly Sweeper with 30 inches of Horizontal Break...with Tail. ???? pic.twitter.com/rBCq28amFt

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 27, 2025

He is 8-4 with a 2.76 ERA and a WHIP of only 0.89. That’s third-best in baseball. Skenes is fifth at 0.92.

McKenna momentum

Earlier this week, the Penn State hockey team signed presumptive 2026 NHL No. 1 draft pick Gavin McKenna.

Please enjoy four and a half minutes of Gavin McKenna highlights after he officially announced his commitment to @PennStateMHKY. ????

The projected 2026 first overall pick is already a star.

(????: @tigershockey & @TheWHL) pic.twitter.com/m3iQaMAXZu

— NHL (@NHL) July 8, 2025

Another incoming freshman is Jackson Smith. The defenseman was just selected 14th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

On top of that, the Nittany Lions are getting Mac Gadowsky out of the transfer portal from Army. He’s the son of coach Guy Gadowsky and was a top 10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, as was returning winger Aiden Fink.

As a result, DraftKings is now listing the Nittany Lions as plus-400 favorites to win the NCAA Frozen Four. Boston University is next at plus-800, followed by Michigan State and Michigan at plus 900.

That outlet also has the Nittany Lions fourth in football betting to win the NCAA title at plus-750 behind Ohio State (plus-500), Texas (plus-550) and Georgia (plus-700).

Listen: Tim Benz and Penn State hockey PxP voice Brian Tripp discuss Gavin McKenna’s arrival at PSU