In the game of football, no team can have too many quality pass rushers. That's why Clemson is hot on the trail of Purdue defensive end Will Heldt.
What's more, it is being reported by multiple outlets, including Pete Thamel of ESPN, that Heldt will take a visit to Clemson in the "upcoming days". Thamel notes in a post on X that Clemson has never taken a scholarship defensive player from the transfer portal. However, Heldt might be worth an exception.
The 6-foot-6, 265-pounder was a sophomore in 2024. This season, he racked up 56 tackles (10 for loss) and 5.0 sacks. It was a breakout season after he had 12 tackles (one for loss) and no sacks as a freshman in 2023.
According to 247Sports, Heldt is the No. 7 edge rusher available in the transfer portal. Thus, he would be a welcome addition to the Clemson defense.
Clemson is set to host Purdue transfer edge rusher Will Heldt on a visit in the upcoming days, his agents @gcsportsmgmt tell ESPN. Clemson has not ever taken a scholarship defensive player from the NCAA transfer portal. Heldt has two years remaining. pic.twitter.com/MjHTSsaKcq
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 12, 2024
This news, as well as recent reports that the Tigers are pursuing wide receivers in the portal, should excite the large segment of the Clemson fandom that has been wanting Dabo Swinney to be more active in the portal.
In 2024, Clemson was the only power conference program in the nation without a transfer player on the roster. However, Swinney adamantly defended that decision saying that he preferred the players had had brought into the fold in the traiditional manner. That angered some fans who felt like Swinney was being too stubborn for his own good.
Now, though, it appears that Clemson is dipping its toes into the transfer pool and Heldt is one of the program's top targets. It will be fascinating to see how Swinney handles this method of talent acquisition after appearing to be opposed to it in years prior.