Joseph Lawrence Heap (October 26, 1931 – April 6, 2011) was an American football halfback who played for the National Football League's (NFL) New York Giants during the 1955 season. Born in Abita Springs, Louisiana, Heap played his high school football at Holy Cross High School, New Orleans, from 1947 to 1950. There, he earned four varsity letters as a football player and three in track and field. He was a starter for three seasons and scored 55 touchdowns for Holy Cross High School, graduating in 1951. Although Heap considered attending Loyola University New Orleans and continuing to participate in track events, he decided to enroll at the University of Notre Dame.