LSU Football Transfer Target, No. 1 EDGE in the Portal Reveals Commitment Decision

One of the Tigers' top defensive line targets will head to the ACC, selects Dabo Swinney and Co. over LSU.

Purdue Boilermakers defensive end Will Heldt (15) reacts after a defensive stop Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, during the NCAA football game against the Indiana State Sycamores at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind. Purdue Boilermakers won 49-0. / Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers have quickly become one of the most active programs in the NCAA Transfer Portal this month.

The Bayou Bengals have landed 10 commitments via the portal with the latest addition coming from Middle Tennessee prized punter Grant Chadwick.

To this point, LSU has reeled in pledges from a pair of edge rushers in Florida'a Jack Pyburn and Nebraska's Jimari Butler.

The pair of Power Four starters have put pen to paper with LSU and will join the program for the 2025 season after signing the necessary paperwork.

But the addition of both Pyburn and Butler hasn't stopped the Tigers from reaching out to other defensive lineman.

One of the first edge rushers LSU made contact with in the NCAA Transfer Portal came with Purdue star Will Heldt.

Heldt, a standout sophomore for the Boilermakers, burst on the scene in 2024 after a monster second season in West Lafayette.

After appearing in all 12 games as a freshman in 2023, Heldt took that next step and made a name for himself this fall in his second season with Purdue. He logged 56 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss and five sacks for his squad.

The 6-foot-6, 265-pounder was named a Big Ten Honorable Mention by the coaches after breaking out in 2024.

Once he entered the portal officially, the visits started being lined up with LSU getting a crack at Heldt first.

He visited with the Tigers along with Texas A&M, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel, with the program searching for defensive line reinforcements.

But it didn't stop there. Heldt then took a trip to check in with Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers last week.

Following the visit, Heldt mulled over the decision with his camp before going public with a commitment decision on Thursday.

The star edge rusher will join Clemson for the 2025 season after a productive visit. Helt will be Clemson's first addition via the NCAA Transfer Portal during the Swinney Era.

Purdue transfer edge rusher Will Heldt has committed to Clemson, per his agents @gcsportsmgmt.

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.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 19, 2024

Kelly and Co. will lose the defensive end tandem of Sai'vion Jones and Bradyn Swinson this offseason as they begin the next chapter of their playing careers.

What does that mean for LSU? Hit the portal with force and find immediate impact players this month. They have done just that with both Pyburn and Butler signed so far.

The program could look to add another edge rusher via the portal before it's all said and done with other targets on their radar.

LSU has seen 17 members of the 2024 roster depart Baton Rouge while secure commitments from 10 transfers thus far.

The Departures (17):

- Rickie Collins: Quarterback
- Landon Ibieta: Wide Receiver
- CJ Daniels: Wide Receiver
- Dashawn Womack: EDGE
- Jordan Allen: Safety
- Shelton Sampson: Wide Receiver
- Kylin Jackson: Defensive Back
- Xavier Atkins: Linebacker
- Jyaire Brown: Cornerback
- Bernard Causey: Cornerback
- Nathan Dibert: Kicker
- De'Myrion Johnson: Defensive Tackle
- Jk Johnson: Cornerback
- Ka'Morreun Pimpton: Tight End
- Jay'viar Suggs: Defensive Tackle
- Sage Ryan: Defensive Back
- AJ Swann: Quarterback

Who have the Tigers gained commitments from?

The Additions on Offense (5):
- TE Bauer Sharp: Oklahoma
- WR Barion Brown: Kentucky
- QB Michael Van Buren: Mississippi State
- WR Destyn Hill: Florida State
- WR Nic Anderson: Oklahoma

The Additions on Defense (4):
- CB Ja'Keem Jackson: Florida
- EDGE Jimari Butler: Nebraska
- EDGE Jack Pyburn: Florida
- CB Mansoor Delane: Virginia Tech

The Special Teams Additons (1):
Punter Grant Chadwick: Middle Tennessee

More LSU News:

The LSU Transfer Portal Update: Who's in? Who's out?

LSU Dishes Out Offer to No. 1 Quarterback in America

Nick Saban Calls LSU Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier a "Sleeper" Ahead of 2024 Season

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