Jack

Heflin

The Packers go into Week 1 at full health against a Saints defense missing some key players. They’ll play an “away” game against the Saints in Jacksonville while New Orleans recovers from Hurricane Ida.

Heflin (6'4/319) entered the transfer portal on May 13, and it didn’t take him long to find a new home. He was one of the best defensive tackles in the MAC last year; posting three sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss and forcing a a pair of fumbles for the Huskies. Heflin was also an analytical darling, posting a PFF grade of 90.1 that was sixth-best among all interior defensive lineman in 2019. He should immediately enter the depth chart for Iowa to begin 2020, and since he leaves NIU with his degree, he’s eligible to play right away with one season of eligibility remaining. A very nice get for a team that has been hit hard lately by the transfer portal.

Heflin (6'4/319) makes for a big new fish in the transfer portal waters. He earned second-team All-MAC honors this past season on the strength of 29 tackles (8.5 for loss), three sacks and a pair of forced fumbles while making 11 starts. For his NIU career, Heflin started 28 of the 38 games in which he appeared. PFF’s Anthony Treash tagged Heflin as NIU’s top returning player for 2020 earlier this spring. His overall grade on PFF last season of 90.1 was the sixth-best grade among all FBS interior DL last season. We will be very, very interested to see where Heflin lands for his final year of college ball. Hitting the transfer portal as a graduate, Heflin will be eligible to play immediately with his next team, assuming he ultimately opts to go through with a move. Stay tuned on this one, because whoever lands him is getting a good one.

PFF gave Heflin (6'4/319) a 90.1 grade for his work with the Huskies in 2019, and that was good for the sixth best score of any interior defensive lineman in 2019. Treash notes that he went from “good to great” last year, in large part due to the fact he “was actually among the limited group of players at the position to own grades above 80.0 in both run-defense and in the pass-rush.” Only 12 players were able to achieve those marks last fall. If Heflin can limit the missed tackles next year -- he missed on 13 of 44 attempts last year -- he’ll be among the best defensive tackles again in all of college football.