Even Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers are getting in on the portal frenzy. In fact, on Thursday, the program continued to dip its toe into the transfer waters by adding its second transfer of the 2025 recruiting cycle.
After taking wide receiver Tristan Smith from Southeast Missouri State earlier this week, Clemson has picked up a commitment from Purdue defensive end Will Heldt, one of the top defensive linemen in the portal. He is the first defensive transfer Clemson has added to its program since the transfer portal was created in 2018.
This season with the Boilermakers, the 6-foot-6, 265-pounder registered 56 tackles (10 for loss) and 5.0 sacks. Now, the Indiana native is going to bring his pass-rush game to Clemson.
Heldt, who picked Clemson over LSU and Texas A&M, will fit in nicely with the Tigers. That's because the program needed another pass rusher to pair with emerging star T.J. Parker who leads the Tigers with 11 sacks as the team prepares for Saturday's College Football Playoff showdown at Texas.
Purdue transfer edge rusher Will Heldt has committed to Clemson, per his agents @gcsportsmgmt.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 19, 2024
Heldt becomes the first scholarship defensive player the Tigers have added via the portal since its inception in 2018, a sign of the changing landscape in college football.
Of course, rushing the passer is critical in the modern era of college football. Thus far, Clemson is tied for 26th nationally in sacks with 33.0. And their average of 2.54 per game ranks 34th in the FBS.
Next season, the Tigers could field an elite pass rush if Heldt takes the next step in his development. He was just a sophomore this season so his best football could still be ahead of him.
As a recruit, he was a 3-star prospect and the No. 69 edge rusher in the country according to 247Sports.com's composite rankings. Now, as a transfer, that site rates him as a 4-star player and the No. 9 edge available in the portal.
While Clemson isn't jumping into the portal with both feet the way other programs around the country are, the fact that the Tigers have doubled their all-time number of portal additions in this recruiting cycle alone is noteworthy given Swinney's reluctance to utilize this method of talent acquisition.
It is a sign that even the most stubborn coaches in the country recognize that building a championship roster requires exploring every avenue to find the right mix of players. Heldt is a difference-maker who will help the Tigers in a crucial aspect of the game next season and that is something that not even Swinney could pass up.