© Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images / © Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney made an exception to his transfer portal policy in order to nab defensive lineman Will Heldt. He became the first scholarship defender the Tigers have ever taken.
That decision appears to be paying immediate dividends. Heldt made his presence known this offseason. He’ll be a force to be reckoned with in the fall.
The former Purdue pass rusher tallied five sacks and 10 tackles for loss as a true sophomore in West Lafayette. He totaled 56 takedowns and was named an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention.
The 6-foot-6, 265-pound end will now look to continue that success in the ACC. He joins a Clemson team that won the conference and made a College Football Playoff appearance in 2024. He expects to make an immediate impact on the defensive front.
If spring practice sessions are any indication, we should expect to see plenty of Heldt on the field this season.
Will Heldt threw a 6-foot-7, 320-pound teammate like a ragdoll.
We’ve been busy this Spring. Come see what we’ve been building here in Clemson.
Authentic ACC: Clemson Spring Football premieres this Thursday at 3pm ET on @accnetwork. #ALLIN pic.twitter.com/rZQGQHwHLl
— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) May 28, 2025
The Tigers posted a highlight clip of offseason training as a way of providing some hype during the slow season of college football. One particular play from that promo is now going viral.
Heldt, wearing No. 13, is seen tossing an offensive lineman teammate like a ragdoll on the field. He moved the much larger player with ease.
Ooo boy to the clip of Will Heldt burying a freshman offensive lineman at the 18-second mark. https://t.co/nI1jwpaq2I pic.twitter.com/ATQ2sWVSID
— Jon Blau (@Jon_Blau) May 28, 2025
That player is Brayden Jacobs, the son of former NFL running back Brandon Jacobs. The freshman stands 6-foot-7 and tips the scales at 320 pounds. He makes his 6-foot-4, 264-pound dad look a regular guy!
That size proved no match for Will Heldt. The man dubbed “The Terminator” did just that to his first-year teammate. He showed no mercy despite being outweighed by 55 pounds.
Jacobs and his teammates will be glad to see Heldt line up against someone else in the fall. He’ll help anchor what should be a stout defensive unit for the Tigers.
