This Clemson Tigers star is solidifying himself as a potential first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
The Clemson Tigers entered the 2026 college football campaign with three defensive players capable of being first-round selections in the 2027 NFL Draft: cornerback Ashton Hampton, linebacker Sammy Brown and defensive end Will Heldt.
Thus far, all of them are holding up their end of the bargain, but Heldt may be the player who has boosted his draft stock the most thus far.
Through three games, Heldt has already logged 10 tackles, six tackles for loss and four sacks. For what it's worth, he finished with 7.5 sacks all of last season.
The 6-foot-6, 260-pound pass rusher has the exact size teams look for on the NFL level. His motor is phenomenal, and he plays the game with a toughness and an attitude that is virtually unmatched.
Yes, Heldt has some weaknesses. He doesn't have elite burst, and he doesn't possess the raw strength of a Myles Garrett. Also, sometimes his size works to his detriment, as he can get caught playing too upright. Much like Penn State's Dani Dennis-Sutton last year.
But there is no doubt that his strengths are shining through thus far in 2026.
All four of Heldt's sacks came over the last two weeks, and while it would have been nice to see him enjoy a more productive night against LSU back in the season opener, the North Carolina Tar Heels were not exactly slouches in Week 3.
Surely, NFL scouts have taken notice of Heldt's sack parade over the last couple of games, and it should also be noted that the former Purdue product is a stout run defender.
Dabo Swinney bagged Heldt in the transfer portal following the 2024 campaign, which was a rather odd move for Swinney considering he barely utilized the portal at the time.
But clearly, he felt that Heldt — who was only a three-star recruit when he arrived at Purdue back in 2023 — was a can't-miss player.
Apparently, Swinney was right.
Heldt's NFL Draft status was debatable to me heading into the season because we needed to see more from him. Yes, he displayed tremendous run-defending abilities in 2025 with 46 tackles and 15.5 tackles for loss. But his ceiling as a pass rusher was questionable.
Thus far, though, Heldt has been more than impressive in that regard, and he could be in for another big night against California this Friday.
At this rate, the Carmel, In. native should absolutely register a double-digit sack season, which would absolutely place him within the range of the top 32 in the draft next April.
