2027 Summer Scouting Report: Will Heldt, EDGE, Clemson

Summer is here, and it is everyone’s favorite time of the year, scouting time. Every year, we do Summer Scouting to preview college football for Bucs fans and give them names to follow and watch in the fall as needs pop up for Tampa Bay.

>Are we going to write about quarterbacks? Offensive tackles? Edge rushers? You know it, but why? Because other NFL teams will draft them, just as they will draft every other position. It all matters whether these players end up on the Bucs, the Bears, or the Steelers. We write these so that Bucs fans can be the most informed.

>So if you are still with us, enjoy our latest Summer Scouting report as we prepare you for the Fall.

Background InformationSenior • >Defensive End • >Clemson Tigers • >Carmel, Indiana native • >Transfer from Purdue • >6-foot-6, 260 pounds • >Third-Team All-ACC selection in 2025 • >Two-year contributor at Purdue before transferring to Clemson • >25 career starts entering 2026Notable Career Stats Heading Into 2026114 career tackles • >26.5 tackles for loss • >12.5 sacks • >1 forced fumble • >1 fumble recovery touchdown • >37 career games played • >Nearly 1,500 career defensive snapsNotable Numbers From PFF Heading Into 2026SeasonSnapsOverallRun DefenseTacklingPass RushPressuresSacks202557984.477.977.082.44510202472672.374.865.070.1286202313858.351.429.461.250StrengthsNFL-ready size and length • >Active hands • >Effective spin move • >Functional bull rush • >Good football IQ • >Strong pursuit angles • >Competitive toughness • >Passing-lane awareness • >Productive against both the run and pass • >Consistently involved around the football • >Can execute multiple defensive assignments • >Uses leverage and angles effectively • >Relentless effort through the whistle • >Strong play recognition • >Positional flexibility in specialty packagesWeaknessesLacks elite first-step explosiveness • >Does not consistently overwhelm blockers with power • >Bend appears average compared to top-tier edge prospects • >Pass-rush toolbox remains a work in progress • >Relies heavily on effort and positioning to generate production • >Does not currently possess a dominant signature move • >Ceiling remains dependent on continued development as a pass rusherPlayer SummaryWill Heldt enters the 2026 season as one of the more intriguing edge defenders in the country. The former Purdue transfer immediately became a productive contributor for Clemson, leading the Tigers in both sacks and tackles for loss during his first season with the program.

>Heldt's game is built around consistency. While he may not possess elite burst, rare bend, or overwhelming power, he consistently finds ways to impact plays through effort, intelligence, and technique. His understanding of leverage and angles repeatedly showed up on film, allowing him to create pressure even when his initial rush failed to produce immediate results.

>One of the more impressive aspects of Heldt's game is his ability to remain involved throughout the duration of a play. Whether fighting through contact, recovering from a missed opportunity, or pursuing a scrambling quarterback, he consistently works back into the action. That competitive toughness allows him to produce plays that many defenders would abandon after losing their initial advantage.

>As a pass rusher, Heldt primarily wins through active hands, angles, and effort. He has shown the ability to utilize a spin move, bull rush, and various hand-fighting techniques while also taking advantage of his length to disrupt passing lanes. His four pass breakups in 2025 reflect a player who actively looks to affect the quarterback even when he cannot reach him.

>The biggest question entering 2026 revolves around upside. Heldt has already proven he can be productive at the Power Four level, but another step forward in his pass-rush development could significantly elevate his draft stock. If he can pair his intelligence and effort with a more refined collection of pass-rush counters, he has the potential to emerge as one of the more complete edge defenders in the 2027 class.

>This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: 2027 Summer Scouting Report on Clemson's Will Heldt