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Heldman, Kwiatkowski Picked Up by NFL Teams
4/26/2026 7:33:00 PM | Football
Defensive lineman Michael Heldman (New Orleans Saints) and linebacker Jordan Kwiatkowski (New England Patriots) offered NFL opportunities on Saturday.
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich.—Central Michigan defensive lineman Michael Heldman was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New Orleans Saints, while linebacker Jordan Kwiatkowski was invited to mini-camp by the New England Patriots.
Heldman, a captain at defensive end, earned First Team All-MAC and Second Team G5 All-America honors in 2025, and several academic awards, including four Academic All-MAC and the 2025 CSC Academic All-District award. He was also nominated for several prestigious national awards: the AFCA Good Works Team, the Wuerffel Trophy, and the NFF William V. Campbell Trophy. He is one of just eight players in school history to earn four Academic All-MAC selections.
In 2025, Heldman recorded 48 tackles (24 solo), led the team in tackles for loss (16.5 for 64 yards), sacks (10.5 sacks for 48 yards), and quarterback hurries (nine), four pass breakups, and two forced fumbles. Nationally, he ranked No. 12 in sacks and No. 14 in tackles for loss. In the MAC, he finished fourth in tackles for loss and third in sacks. His standout games included vs. Buffalo (four tackles, 2.0 sacks, 2.0 TFL, two QB hurries, and two pass breakups), UMass (five QB hurries, two breakups), Toledo (three tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1.0 sack), at Kent State (five tackles, 2.5 TFL, 2.0 sacks, one QB hurry), and Wagner (five tackles, 2.0 sacks, 2.0 TFL, forced fumble). He earned MAC Defensive Player of the Week once.
Heldman played five years and 53 games with 42 starts, tallying 120 tackles (64 solo), 34.5 tackles for loss for 137 yards, 19.0 sacks for 99 yards, five pass breakups, four forced fumbles, and 29 quarterback hurries. He set school records for quarterback hurries in a career (29), season (10 in 2023), and game (5 vs. UMass, Oct. 25, 2025). In CMU career records, he ranks No. 9 in games played (53), No. 6 in sacks (19.5), No. 10 in tackles for loss (34), No. 10 in forced fumbles (4), No. 14 in yards from tackles for loss (133), and No. 11 in yards from sacks (99). In season records, he stands No. 4 in sacks (10.5 in 2025), No. 14 in tackles for loss (16.0 in 2025), and No. 2 in quarterback hurries (9 in 2025). Heldman, a Romeo, Mich. native, graduated from Central Michigan with a degree in communications.
Kwiatkowski, a captain at middle linebacker, was a two-time All-MAC honoree (First Team in 2025 and Second Team in 2024) and Third Team G5 All-American honoree in 2025. The Sterling Heights, Mich. native entered the season as a national nominee for the Butkus Award and Rotary Lombardi Award.
The two-time MAC Defensive Player of the Week honoree (Oct. 20, Nov. 24) finished the 2025 season with a team-high 109 total tackles (49 solo), 12.5 tackles for loss for 54 yards, three sacks for 31 yards, a team-high three interceptions for 92 yards and a touchdown, a team-best three forced fumbles, five pass breakups, and three quarterback hurries. In national statistics, he ranks No. 19 in total tackles (9.1 per game), No. 19 in forced fumbles (3), No. 49 in total interceptions (3), and No. 60 in interceptions per game (0.25). In the MAC, he is ranked No. 5 in tackles, No. 8 in tackles for loss, No. 17 in passes defended, No. 5 in interceptions, and No. 4 in forced fumbles. In 2025, he became the first player at CMU to total over 100 tackles in a season since Malik Fountain in 2018 and registered six games of 10 tackles or more. His most productive performances came vs. Toledo (12 tackles, 2.0 TFL, forced fumble, and breakup), at Kent State (15 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble), vs. Buffalo (nine tackles, 1.0 TFL, forced fumble, 48-yard interception return), at Bowling Green (14 tackles, 2.5 TFL, one interception for 28 yard return, breakup).
Over his four-year, 47-game career, Kwiatkowski tallied 255 total tackles (121 solo), 28.5 tackles for loss (85 yards), 3.0 sacks (31 yards), four interceptions (99 yards and one returned for a TD), nine pass breakups, three forced fumbles, and a blocked kick. In CMU career records, he ranks No. 32 in tackles (255), No. 20 in tackles for loss (28.5), and No. 21 in forced fumbles (3). In season records, he ranks No. 33 in tackles (117 in 2025), No. 24 in tackles for loss (14.0 in 2025), and No. 6 in forced fumbles (3 in 2025). In CMU single-game records, he ranks No. 11 in tackles for loss (4.5 at Kent State, Nov. 19, 2025). He finished 11 games with at least 10 or more tackles in his career.
He is a Sport Management major.
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Heldman, a captain at defensive end, earned First Team All-MAC and Second Team G5 All-America honors in 2025, and several academic awards, including four Academic All-MAC and the 2025 CSC Academic All-District award. He was also nominated for several prestigious national awards: the AFCA Good Works Team, the Wuerffel Trophy, and the NFF William V. Campbell Trophy. He is one of just eight players in school history to earn four Academic All-MAC selections.
In 2025, Heldman recorded 48 tackles (24 solo), led the team in tackles for loss (16.5 for 64 yards), sacks (10.5 sacks for 48 yards), and quarterback hurries (nine), four pass breakups, and two forced fumbles. Nationally, he ranked No. 12 in sacks and No. 14 in tackles for loss. In the MAC, he finished fourth in tackles for loss and third in sacks. His standout games included vs. Buffalo (four tackles, 2.0 sacks, 2.0 TFL, two QB hurries, and two pass breakups), UMass (five QB hurries, two breakups), Toledo (three tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1.0 sack), at Kent State (five tackles, 2.5 TFL, 2.0 sacks, one QB hurry), and Wagner (five tackles, 2.0 sacks, 2.0 TFL, forced fumble). He earned MAC Defensive Player of the Week once.
Heldman played five years and 53 games with 42 starts, tallying 120 tackles (64 solo), 34.5 tackles for loss for 137 yards, 19.0 sacks for 99 yards, five pass breakups, four forced fumbles, and 29 quarterback hurries. He set school records for quarterback hurries in a career (29), season (10 in 2023), and game (5 vs. UMass, Oct. 25, 2025). In CMU career records, he ranks No. 9 in games played (53), No. 6 in sacks (19.5), No. 10 in tackles for loss (34), No. 10 in forced fumbles (4), No. 14 in yards from tackles for loss (133), and No. 11 in yards from sacks (99). In season records, he stands No. 4 in sacks (10.5 in 2025), No. 14 in tackles for loss (16.0 in 2025), and No. 2 in quarterback hurries (9 in 2025). Heldman, a Romeo, Mich. native, graduated from Central Michigan with a degree in communications.
Kwiatkowski, a captain at middle linebacker, was a two-time All-MAC honoree (First Team in 2025 and Second Team in 2024) and Third Team G5 All-American honoree in 2025. The Sterling Heights, Mich. native entered the season as a national nominee for the Butkus Award and Rotary Lombardi Award.
The two-time MAC Defensive Player of the Week honoree (Oct. 20, Nov. 24) finished the 2025 season with a team-high 109 total tackles (49 solo), 12.5 tackles for loss for 54 yards, three sacks for 31 yards, a team-high three interceptions for 92 yards and a touchdown, a team-best three forced fumbles, five pass breakups, and three quarterback hurries. In national statistics, he ranks No. 19 in total tackles (9.1 per game), No. 19 in forced fumbles (3), No. 49 in total interceptions (3), and No. 60 in interceptions per game (0.25). In the MAC, he is ranked No. 5 in tackles, No. 8 in tackles for loss, No. 17 in passes defended, No. 5 in interceptions, and No. 4 in forced fumbles. In 2025, he became the first player at CMU to total over 100 tackles in a season since Malik Fountain in 2018 and registered six games of 10 tackles or more. His most productive performances came vs. Toledo (12 tackles, 2.0 TFL, forced fumble, and breakup), at Kent State (15 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble), vs. Buffalo (nine tackles, 1.0 TFL, forced fumble, 48-yard interception return), at Bowling Green (14 tackles, 2.5 TFL, one interception for 28 yard return, breakup).
Over his four-year, 47-game career, Kwiatkowski tallied 255 total tackles (121 solo), 28.5 tackles for loss (85 yards), 3.0 sacks (31 yards), four interceptions (99 yards and one returned for a TD), nine pass breakups, three forced fumbles, and a blocked kick. In CMU career records, he ranks No. 32 in tackles (255), No. 20 in tackles for loss (28.5), and No. 21 in forced fumbles (3). In season records, he ranks No. 33 in tackles (117 in 2025), No. 24 in tackles for loss (14.0 in 2025), and No. 6 in forced fumbles (3 in 2025). In CMU single-game records, he ranks No. 11 in tackles for loss (4.5 at Kent State, Nov. 19, 2025). He finished 11 games with at least 10 or more tackles in his career.
He is a Sport Management major.
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