Northern Illinois University Athletics

2019
•    Collected honorable mention All-America honors from Pro Football Focus. 
•    Named to the All-MAC second team by league coaches and was a first team choice by PFF.
•    Huskie coaches honored him as the team’s Defensive Player of the Year.
•    Also selected as one of four permanent team captains for 2019. 
•    Led NIU in tackles for loss (8.5) and quarterback sacks (3.0).
•    Earned honorable mention honors on PFF Midseason All-America team.
•    Posted 1.5 tackles for loss with a sack and three stops in NIU’s win over Western Michigan (11-26).  
•    Recorded 1.5 tackles for loss at Toledo (11-13) with a quarterback sack and forced his third fumble of 2019 while making a season-high six tackles to earn MAC West Defensive Player of the Week honors. 
•    Ranked second in the MAC and tied for 16th nationally with three forced fumbles. 
•    Helped limit Akron (10-26) to seven first downs and 145 yards of total offense in NIU’s first shutout since 2012. 
•    Contributed 1.5 tackles for loss and three stops as NIU held Miami (10-19) to 71 rushing yards. 
•    Credited with five tackles vs. Ball State (10-5) with a sack and a forced fumble. 
•    Totaled four stops, 1.5 for loss, at Vanderbilt (9-28). 
•    Forced a fumble and recorded two tackles at Nebraska (9-14). 
•    Made four stops with 1.5 tackles for loss vs. Illinois State (8-31). 
•    Missed the Eastern Michigan (11-19) game due to injury.

2018
• Third team All-MAC DT ranked third on the team in sacks and fourth in tackles for loss.
• Collected all of his sacks and TFLs in the last half of the regular season.
• Started the last five games of the year, beginning with the Toledo (11-7) contest.
• Responded with a dominating performance vs. the Rockets with a career-high 2.5 quarterback sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss among his seven tackles.
• Made three solo tackles in MAC Championship win over Buffalo (11-30) as NIU defensive line spurred the second half comeback.
• Contributed a sack, a tackle for loss and four solo stops at Western Michigan (11-20).
• Posted 1.5 sacks and tackles for loss at Akron (11-1).
• Recorded five solo stops at BYU (10-27) with one for loss as defense limited the Cougars to two field goals.
• His lone tackle vs. Ohio (10-13) resulted in his first career quarterback sack and tackle for loss.
• Registered two tackles in the Florida State (9-22), EMU (9-29), Ball State (10-6) and UAB (12-18) games.
• Blocked a Utah (9-8) field goal.
• Made at least one tackle in every game except CMU (9-15).

2017
• Started every game at defensive tackle as a redshirt freshman. 
• Played an important role occupying blockers up front for NIU defense that tied for second in the nation with 43 total sacks. 
• Recorded eight total tackles, six solo and two assists. 
• Began the season with a tackle in three straight games versus Boston College (9-1), Eastern Illinois (9-9) and Nebraska (9-16). 
• Made a tackle in four straight games beginning with the Eastern Michigan (10-26) game. 
• Posted lone tackle for loss for four yards against Western Michigan (11-15). 
• His work in the middle allowed NIU linebackers Bobby Jones IV and Jawuan Johnson to amass impressive tackle totals, while ends Sutton Smith and Josh Corcoran accumulated sacks. 

2016
• Redshirted.

High School
• Named first team All-Western Illinois for as an offensive lineman and defensive lineman in back-to-back seasons respectively.
• Garnered All-State recognition from the IHSFCA during his senior season.
• Tallied 249 tackles and eight forced fumbles during his career.
• Set a school high of 30 career starts.

Personal
• Born March 8, 1998 in Galesburg, Ill.
• Son of Judith and Chris Breitbach and Paul Heflin.
• Kinesiology major.

Heflin's Single Game Career Highs
Total Tackles: 7 (BYU 10-27-18; Toledo 11-7-18)
Tackles for Loss: 3.5 (Toledo 11-7-18)
Sacks: 2.5 (Toledo 11-7-18)