Four-star Goldsberry takes about choosing Purdue

Purdue never took its foot off the gas in its pursuit of 2026 four-star Heritage Hills (Ind.) safety/athlete Jett Goldsberry. From the day he announced his initial pledge to Ole Miss in July, defensive backs coach Charles Clark and the Boilermakers stayed on the sought-after in-state star.

“The first day after I committed, Coach (Charles) Clark was like, are we good to keep this relationship? And am I good to keep talking to you? And I was like, yeah, 100%,” Goldsberry said.

Goldsberry gave the green light for Purdue to continue recruiting him, and that’s what the coaching staff did. Steady, weekly communication was taking place between the Boilermakers and Goldsberry from July all the way until National Signing Day.

“Before I flipped or anything, they were like, ‘Yeah, we’re still gonna send you the paperwork, since we want you’,” Goldsberry said. “Even though I was still committed to Ole Miss, before all the unknowns happened down there. So, you know, that was cool to see that they still wanted me.”

That hard work paid off for Barry Odom and the Boilermakers, who landed Goldsberry in a surprising National Signing Day flip. The comfortability with the Purdue staff was the deciding factor for Goldsberry deciding to stick with the home state school and join Odom and company in West Lafayette.

“I felt really comfortable with the coaches there. I know I have a good relationship with each and every one of them. So, you know, really just came down to that feeling, and then, being wanted. And I know they really want me there,” Goldsberry said.

“Obviously, have a lot of respect for Ole Miss and the Ole Miss staff, and what Wes Neighbors and coach (Pete) Golding have done for me. But I had to go with my gut in this situation, since there were a lot of unknowns down there in Mississippi at the time. So, you know, I just felt like, after talking and praying with my parents, that was the best decision for me.”

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Now, Purdue has one of the top in-state prospects in the class and an intriguing piece for Mike Scherer’s defense in the years to come. Goldsberry’s impact in West Lafayette may be delayed, however, as he is slated to have surgery after tearing his ACL and meniscus, as his father Jon announced on X last week.

Goldsberry is feeling good, despite the upcoming operation and is ready to attack the rehab process as a member of the Boilermakers.

“I feel really good right now, obviously you got to get the rehab. I guess the scheduled surgery is next Tuesday, so I got that. And then, obviously a long road ahead of me after that, but, you know, just gonna work hard to get back and get ready with the trainers and doctors at Purdue,” Goldsberry said.

Whenever he hits the field, Goldsberry will be an intriguing talent to watch for. A two-way player at Heritage Hills, he amassed 5,420 passing yards and 70 touchdowns, as well as 4,616 yards and 85 touchdowns on the ground on offense, in addition to 281 total tackles, 21 tackles for loss, five forced fumbles and four interceptions on defense.

The expectation is that he lines up in the secondary for the Boilermakers, where he thinks he can be a versatile piece on the back end of the Purdue defense. But he hasn’t ruled out playing on offense, however.

“I’m thrilled to have a chance to coach him. Was able to watch him play in person on our second bye week, in his semifinal game, he played every snap almost of the game, you know, quarterback on offense, and played every snap of defense that he could. And just the tenacity he plays with, he’s explosive, [he] is a special player. And for us to be able to keep him in state and be part of who we are going forward, we’re excited about the versatility he has, the play making skills he has, and the way he plays the game,” Odom said last Wednesday.

“I won’t know exactly until I get there, but for me, my best thing is coming down and hitting. So, I see myself being kind of roll down safety, but also, you know, working on my coverage too, because that’s what Purdue’s gonna help me with the most. And then you never know, they might put me on offense, they might not, I’m not sure. But, you know, I’m just willing to do whatever I can for the team to make them better,” Goldsberry.

Regardless of where Goldsberry lines up, Odom and company are excited to welcome the in-state standout and Indiana Mr. Football finalist to West Lafayette with open arms. That moment of stepping on campus will be the culmination of months and months of hard work on the recruiting trail by the Boilermakers, and Goldsberry’s belief in the Purdue head coach’s vision for the program.