Will Heldt, EDGE, Clemson: 2027 NFL Draft Prospect Profile & Scouting Report
1. General Information
|
Name |
Will Heldt |
|
Position |
Edge Rusher (EDGE) |
|
Number |
13 (formerly 15) |
|
Class |
Senior |
|
School |
Clemson |
|
Height / Weight |
6’6″ / 265 lbs |
|
Hometown / HS |
Carmel, Ind. / Carmel HS |
2. Career Statistical Breakdown
Defensive Performance & Pass Rush Production
|
**Season** |
**Team** |
**G** |
**Tackles** |
**TFL** |
**Sacks** |
**FF / FR** |
|
2023 |
Purdue |
12 |
12 |
1.0 |
0.0 |
0 / 0 |
|
2024 |
Purdue |
12 |
56 |
10.0 |
5.0 |
0 / 1 |
|
2025 |
Clemson |
13 |
47 |
15.5 |
7.5 |
0 / 0 |
|
**Total** |
**37** |
**115** |
**26.5** |
**12.5** |
**0 / 1** |
3. NFL Combine Testing Projections
Projected metrics for the 2027 NFL Draft cycle based on athletic history, linear leverage frames, and high school athletic traits.
- 40-Yard Dash: 4.64 – 4.75s
- Vertical Jump: 33.5″ – 35.5″
- Broad Jump: 9’11” – 10’3″
- 20-Yard Shuttle: 4.30 – 4.42s
- 3-Cone Drill: 7.08 – 7.24s
4. Scouting & Transfer Notes
Background Profile
Heldt arrived in the college ranks as a decorated consensus three-star prospect out of Indiana high school powerhouse Carmel High School, where he secured two IFCA Top 50 All-State selections and recorded 190 career tackles. Signing with Purdue, he saw immediate developmental reps in all 12 games as a true freshman in 2023 before breaking out entirely as a full-time starter in 2024. Heldt anchored the Boilermakers’ frontline with 56 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks, earning All-Big Ten Honorable Mention and Academic All-Big Ten honors.
Seeking to maximize his draft evaluation within an elite defensive system, he entered the transfer portal and committed to Dabo Swinney and Clemson ahead of the 2025 campaign. The step up in competition unlocked Heldt’s premium capabilities; he adapted instantly to the ACC, spearheading the Tigers’ frontline with 47 tackles, a team-high 15.5 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks. Bypassing an early draft window, Heldt enters his senior season in 2026 as a premier blue-chip defensive foundational asset.
Key Strengths
- Prototypical NFL Frame & Length: Possesses ideal, imposing edge standard length at 6’6″ and 265 pounds, allowing him to easily lock out tackles and crowd throwing lanes.
- Elite Tactical Production & Adaptability: Transitioned seamlessly from the Big Ten to the ACC, enhancing his backfield efficiency with a career-high 15.5 tackles for loss on a premium Clemson defense.
- Relentless Heavy-Handed Power Conversion: Weaponizes a violent, heavy initial punch to press out blocks, coupled with a highly efficient speed-to-power bull rush to collapse pocket depths.
- Flawless Operational and Academic Discipline: Displays supreme football intelligence, sound edge discipline, and notable locker room leadership traits.
Developmental Focus
Because Heldt operates with an elongated 6’6″ frame, he must remain conscious of his pad level out of his stance to prevent shorter, hyper-leveraged offensive tackles from establishing hand placement inside his chest cavity. NFL evaluators will track his senior-year consistency to assess his short-area lateral-redirect agility when forced to drop into space or trail shiftier perimeter ball carriers on boundary-constrained paths. Continued development of his counter-move catalog, even when his initial primary speed-to-power track is effectively stalled, will solidify his status as a complete, three-down defensive end.
Draft Countdown Film Notes
*pending*
All-Star Game Notes
*pending*
Combine/Pro Day Measurables
*pending*