GREEN BAY, Wis. — Following the arrival of new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, the Green Bay Packers are expected to return a 3-4, quarters-based scheme. Defensive ends are transformed into outside linebackers standing up on the edge, rather than sticking their hand in the grass.
That could be good news for Central Michigan's Michael Heldman, who will be in Green Bay for a top-30 visit with the Packers in the coming days, according to NFL.com's Tom Pelissero. The Chippewas run a 3-4 front, so the transition to the pros could be a streamlined process for Heldman, an edge rusher.
The 6'3", 268-pound Heldman is viewed as anywhere between a day-three selection or a priority free agent. The Packers have been doing extensive homework on players expected to fall within that range, considering their lack of premium picks. They're without a first-round selection following August's blockbuster trade with the Dallas Cowboys for Micah Parsons.
Whether he's drafted or not, Heldman's confidence is undeterred.
Michael Heldman attempts to sack Sean Clifford, a fifth-round pick of the Packers in 2023, in a game against Penn State. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)
"I would love to get drafted, but, you know what? Regardless, whatever team wants me, they're getting a dog," he said at Central Michigan's pro day last month. "And they're getting a man who can help change many things, but not forcefully, because I'm more of an open doors type guy."
After being snubbed from the NFL Scouting Combine's invite list, Heldman was one of 14 Chippewas to work out in front of roughly 20 NFL and CFL teams. He measured with 31 1/2" arms and a 78 1/8" wingspan, hammered out 29 reps on the 225-pound bench press, posted a 40" vertical jump, and a broad jump of 10'03". Heldman clocked an unofficial 4.71-yard dash; however, he reportedly heard from some people that he came within the 4.6 range he had hoped for.
The 9.90 Relative Athletic Score (RAS) Heldman posted is essentially a prerequisite to being drafted by the Packers.
A redshirt freshman who appeared in just four games, Heldman blossomed into a full-time starter on Central Michigan's defensive line in 2022. He played in at least 11 games in each of the following four seasons, missing a single contest as a sophomore due to an undisclosed injury. Heldman would finish his collegiate career with 120 tackles, 34 tackles for a loss, and 19 sacks, but it wasn't until his senior campaign that he'd really showcase the kind of player he could become.
Michael Heldman closes in on Pittsburgh quarterback Eli Holstein on Sept. 6. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)
Heldman had more sacks (10.5) in 2025 than he had in the previous four years (8.5) combined. He accounted for 53 total pressures -- nearly eclipsing the 58 he had combined for in the two years prior -- and 29 stops, surpassing the 25 he posted in 2023 and 2024 combined. Heldman would conclude his time with the program by starting 25 consecutive games along the defensive line. His efforts during that miraculous senior season earned him first-team All-MAC honors, and he became one of just eight players in the school's history to earn four Academic All-Mid-American Conference selections.
Heldman is a Central Michigan record-holder, too. He set the program's record for most hurries (29) over a career, season (10), and in a single game (5).
"He's as talented a football player as there is," said Central Michigan head coach Matt Drinkall, whose first year at the helm was spent with Heldman in 2025. "His talent matches his work ethic, his maturity, and his desire and passion for everything.
"The thing that stands out, maybe the most, about Michael is that I don't know if I've ever met someone who spends every second of their day truly giving themselves away to everyone else. I mean, helping everyone around him. Everything he does, he makes it for someone else and about someone else."
The Packers may need to add another body or two to the room following the departures of Rashan Gary and Kingsley Enagbare -- Gary was traded to the Dallas Cowboys for a fourth-round pick, while Enagbare signed with the New York Jets in free agency. The belief is that Micah Parsons will miss at least the first month of the regular season on the physically unable to perform list due to the torn anterior cruciate ligament he sustained on Dec. 14. That leaves Lukas Van Ness, Barryn Sorrell, Collin Oliver, Arron Mosby, and Brenton Cox Jr. as the projected starters on the edge.
Heldman is the second reported edge rusher to have a pre-draft visit with the Packers. They had Texas Tech's Romello Height in the facility last week.
Zachary Jacobson is the Editor-in-Chief of Packer Report. He is entering his 12th season covering theGreen Bay Packers. He is a member of thePro Football Writers of America. Follow him on Twitter@zacobson or contact him via email atitszachariahj@gmail.com