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NFL Draft Diamonds Scouting Report: Alec Heldreth, DL, Clarion

Alec Heldreth is a solid prospect from Clarion University

Stat’s & Awards

  • 2018 : PSAC All Conference Preseason All American
  • 57 tackles, 12 TFL, 5.5 sack s & 11 QBH
  • Player of the week for his Conference had  a strip sack for a td for the win vs Gannon
  • Led team with sacks
  • Accepted Invites to both the FCS Bowl  ( Daytona) & The Gridiron Showcase Texas
  • Invited to many more including the BGN Combine in Indy.
  • 2017: PSAC All Conference
  • 51 tackles 8 TFL & 4 sacks
  •  Player of the week with 8 tackles a FR at Bloomsburg  
  • 2 Sacks & 2.5 TFL vs Slippery Rock

2015-16 : Played 19 games over 2 seasons for Lake Erie  College P.A.

  • Lead team in sacks both years in sacks
  • Had 49 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 7.5 sacks & a FF in 2 years as a Freshman & Sophomore

Diamond Report

Dominant strong D lineman Heldreth is Hungry to make a name for himself this spring.

Small School D lineman who played mostly on the interior  because of his size & opponents. Solid size good height at 6’4 with his 280 lb plus frame manhandled Guards & Centers at the collegiate level. Strong lean very hard to move him off the ball. Solid frame both shows upper & lower body strength & burst. Moves quicker than you would think has the persistence needed to be an every down D lineman.

Against the run :  Has the bend & burst to get in the gap securing tackles in the backfield. Shows good pursuit plays with good leverage . Get in between the center & OG with pure power has a punch that can knock players backwards.  Seen him literally knock 3 “would be” blocker’s to the ground while he burst through the A gap like a wet paper bag. Need to double team Heldreth in the run game especially on runs up the middle or ISO runs he has powerful lean very strong hands with good vision top flight textbook tackler. Nice change of direction for the big man always keeps those legs moving . He is not easily fooled on fakes or on counters. Inevitably if he wants to be a run stuffing DT he would need to add fifteen to twenty pounds.  Be better to keep him around the 285 to 295 range to not reduce his athleticism keep his versatility.

In the pass game or off the edge: Pushes the pocket with his strong hand  rip technique to get under, sheds to blocks push the pocket. Although i seen the more interior play from the big prospect the edge plays I did see showed he can beat big OT’s with his power seems to use his arms more at the defensive end position. High-intensity motor with a sudden quick movement. Very good change of direction in pass rush can start one way counter the other way much like in the run game has more success winning the inside battles. Although I have seen him win on the outside when used there on occasion. He has enough speed to be a versatile D-lineman playing 3-4 DE is a good possibility as he shows the athletic traits needed to rush the QB power to move pockets. Think many O linemen disregard his quickness. Which is a huge mistake cause I’ve seen him run right around there efforts to block him with fast start & go? Has the manpower to bull rush defenders shedding blocks with ferocity. When you have a good combination of size, quickness & All-Star as a DL prospect, scouts will notice. When you add in his determination work ethic you do have a small school Draft Diamond.  

Summary: Has the powerful grab & go to get off blocks with surprising quickness against the pass & run. Has also played on special teams where i watched him block a punt against Gannon University.

Would like to see him against other top talent. Need to see more of him off the edge in a 3 or 4 man front.  Heldreth is a DL prospect that has been invited to 8 All Star games in 2018/19. He has obviously caught the attention of many scouts & player personal people. He has accepted invites from the National & Gridiron Showcase. Has the tools needed to be successful. Always when your looking at these smaller school guys there is the question of level of competition. That’s why these All Star games are so important in the evaluation process not just the game but also the practices.   Unfortunately due to financial problems Heldreth cant take advantage of every opportunity but do to financial issues glad to see him get a look by NFL & CFL scouts in those 2 All Star Showcases. Know i will be watching the tape Guys like this are why i find this so rewarding. Many extremely talented prospects go unsung every year we can’t possibly feature them all. Can tell from my short conversations with Alec that his passion & drive to play football are for Real. He is a tough talented resourceful humble  young man that deserves a shot at his dream. Draft Diamonds interviewed Heldreth in July & i am proud to write this report now in Dec as we try to help him get that elusive opportunity.

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