BREAKING: Clemson Update on Portal Target Will Heldt

Still no decision from portal target Will Heldt.

Heldt, one of the top edge rushers in the portal, visited Clemson earlier in the week. He has also visited Texas A&M and LSU. However, this one appears to be coming down to the Tigers and the Aggies seeing as LSU has already landed two ends from the portal.

As of Thursday morning, no decision had been made, although it’s not expected that this will be a long, drawn-out process. We should know very soon.

Heldt is currently the top target. He is the player that Clemson wants, and at the conclusion of his visit, the staff felt pretty good about the chances of landing him.

Per TCI sources, we have a feel for what Clemson is offering to retain some of the Tigers’ key players. Swinney’s philosophy in the past has been to not pay an incoming guy more than some of his key players already on the roster. Based on that information and due to the competition being Texas A&M, a school with deep pockets, Clemson won’t be able to match what the Aggies are offering financially.

What we do know, is that what is being offered to retain some of the more productive players already on the team is more than what it has been in the past. So the Tigers are least able to make a competitive offer.

However, the financial part is just one piece of the equation. There are other things that come into play for a lot of these players. Cultural fit, coaching staff and the potential to make the playoff also factor in with some. So we will see how this thing plays out.

A&M has already seen three defensive ends on its roster leave via the portal, so the Aggies have a pretty big need themselves.

Even if Heldt were to go elsewhere, Clemson still needs an end out of the portal. Swinney made it abundantly clear on Wednesday that there are more payers on the board and the Tigers have every intention of taking one out of the portal.

“We are kind of tracking some guys at that position and trying to find one player there to fill our need.”