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Clemson will head into the 2026 season with one of its most important defensive pieces firmly in place.
Defensive end Will Heldt announced this week that he will return for his senior season, choosing to continue his development in Tigertown rather than enter the 2026 NFL Draft. The decision came after weeks of reflection, conversations with family, and discussions with coaches and teammates, a process Heldt said ultimately made his path clear.
“About when I announced it is about where I came to that decision,” Heldt said. “But pondering on that for the last few weeks, praying, talking to family and talking to staff and teammates, and just felt it was best for my future. But just excited about the opportunities that this place gives me, excited to develop myself further and chase a championship next year with these guys.”
Heldt’s return is significant for a Clemson defense that leaned on him heavily in 2025. The 6-foot-6, 260-pounder led the Tigers in both sacks (7.5) and tackles for loss (15.0), while also recording 42 tackles, 10 quarterback pressures, three pass breakups, and a forced fumble across 12 starts. His impact earned him third-team All-ACC recognition in his first season with the program.
After transferring from Purdue last offseason, Heldt quickly validated the Tigers’ belief in him. He appeared in 24 games over two seasons with the Boilermakers before arriving, then emerged as a steady presence on the Tigers’ defensive front.
Heldt said the choice was never about finding another school, but about timing.
“For me, it was one of those two – it was either declare [for the 2026 NFL Draft], or come back here,” he said. “And just felt that best for my future, best for me to stay here and to continue to develop myself.”
With several experienced defensive linemen moving on, Heldt’s decision gives Clemson a proven anchor and a leader to build around heading into 2026.
Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X (formerly known as Twitter), and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions
This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson’s Will Heldt on why he’s coming back for one more season
Continue reading...
Defensive end Will Heldt announced this week that he will return for his senior season, choosing to continue his development in Tigertown rather than enter the 2026 NFL Draft. The decision came after weeks of reflection, conversations with family, and discussions with coaches and teammates, a process Heldt said ultimately made his path clear.
“About when I announced it is about where I came to that decision,” Heldt said. “But pondering on that for the last few weeks, praying, talking to family and talking to staff and teammates, and just felt it was best for my future. But just excited about the opportunities that this place gives me, excited to develop myself further and chase a championship next year with these guys.”
Heldt’s return is significant for a Clemson defense that leaned on him heavily in 2025. The 6-foot-6, 260-pounder led the Tigers in both sacks (7.5) and tackles for loss (15.0), while also recording 42 tackles, 10 quarterback pressures, three pass breakups, and a forced fumble across 12 starts. His impact earned him third-team All-ACC recognition in his first season with the program.
After transferring from Purdue last offseason, Heldt quickly validated the Tigers’ belief in him. He appeared in 24 games over two seasons with the Boilermakers before arriving, then emerged as a steady presence on the Tigers’ defensive front.
Heldt said the choice was never about finding another school, but about timing.
“For me, it was one of those two – it was either declare [for the 2026 NFL Draft], or come back here,” he said. “And just felt that best for my future, best for me to stay here and to continue to develop myself.”
With several experienced defensive linemen moving on, Heldt’s decision gives Clemson a proven anchor and a leader to build around heading into 2026.
Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X (formerly known as Twitter), and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions
This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson’s Will Heldt on why he’s coming back for one more season
Continue reading...
