Will Heldt

EDGE·

Clemson#65 overall

★★★ recruitModel Score 79.6

Updated August 24, 2026

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Draft Movement

#60 · Jun 8#65 · now

Down 5 spots since Jun 8

Scouting Report

Will Heldt is a long and lean edge defender out of Clemson who entered the 2027 draft cycle as one of the more intriguing developmental prospects in the class after a two-school career spanning Purdue and Death Valley. At listed 6'6" and 260 pounds, Heldt carries an alluring frame with developmental room to add functional mass, and scouts have noted early that his build looks more like a 3-4 defensive end than the stand-up OLB role he occupied at Purdue. The transfer to Clemson proved transformative. His explosiveness and pass-rush upside were muted in Purdue's 3-4 scheme, where evaluators observed he was a fish out of water playing exclusively in a two-point stance. After posting a breakout 2024 season with the Boilermakers (56 tackles, five sacks), Heldt entered one of the most coveted transfer pools in the country and chose Clemson despite wide demand. His arrival was viewed as a big portal win for Dabo Swinney, and scouts said Heldt was playing like a first-rounder through his first two games with the Tigers in 2025, crediting his ability to threaten inside and outside, close speed, and willingness to drop into coverage. His run-defense effort is a genuine strength: he plays extremely hard, makes plays in pursuit, and leverages his long frame well at the point of attack. His good first step combined with length and closing speed allows him to threaten the outside track and condense the pocket. However, Heldt's profile carries real limitations as a pass rusher. As a high-cut rusher, he lacks the bend to consistently flatten the corner and win on the outside track. Scouts have flagged that he exposes his chest to blockers, fails to maximize his arm-length advantage, and struggles to disengage. Others were more blunt, calling his pass-rush ability disappointing at Purdue: no calling card, limited explosiveness off the ball, passive hands, and no clear rush plan. The move to a hand-on-ground alignment at Clemson was intended to unlock more of that potential. Some ev

The Tape

Will Heldt Purdue Highlights

hyper highlights·7K views

Will Heldt 2025 Regular Season Highlights | Clemson Edge

ACC Digital Network·3K views

Strengths

Rare length and frame for edge position at 6'6", 260 pounds with room to add functional weight
plays with outstanding motor and effort as a run defender in pursuit and at the point of attack
good first step with solid closing speed to threaten the outside track
versatility to align inside or outside and drop into coverage
26.5 career tackles for loss and 12.5 career sacks over 37 games across Purdue and Clemson
solid lateral instincts and long-striding pursuit range in run defense
high-upside developmental profile after transition from stand-up OLB to hand-down DE at Clemson

Weaknesses

High-cut frame limits ability to bend and flatten the corner consistently
plays too upright at times, undermining leverage and edge-setting against the run
exposes chest to blockers and struggles to disengage from OL hands
fails to maximize arm-length advantage in pass rush
limited pass-rush arsenal with no true go-to move and passive hand usage
low pass-rush win percentage as an underclassman
projects more as a run-first specialist with low-volume sack ceiling rather than a premier pass rusher

NFL Comparison

Brady Smith (long, run-oriented EDGE with a developmental pass-rush ceiling); Nic Scourton (same Purdue-to-power-program transfer path, Scourton went from Purdue to Texas A&M before becoming a second-round pick)

College Stats

2023 Purdue: reserve role, limited production; 2024 Purdue: 56 tackles, 5 sacks (breakout season); 2025 Clemson (partial): 39 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble; Career (37 games): 114 total tackles, 26.5 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 2 pass breakups

College Market Value

Model Price

$1.07M

Our model prices him at $1.07M on the open college market, built from production, pedigree, role and Clemson's program money. No credible deal has been reported for him this season.

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