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Purdue 2026 recruiting check up: Secondary

On3 imageby:Tom Dienhart•3 hours ago•

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On-campus recruiting revved up for Purdue with official visits in June. 

The staff already has 18 commitments in what’s expected to be a 2026 class in the 22-25 range. Let’s check in–position-by-position–on how Purdue is recruiting in the 2026 cycle. Next up: Secondary.

RECRUITING CHECK UPS: Quarterbacks | Running backs | Offensive line | Receivers | Tight ends | Defensive line | Linebackers

Current situation

Wow. Just … wow.

This group was torn apart with massive defections via the portal. The new staff pivoted quickly and started grabbing DBs off the portal shelf as fast as it could.

The arrivals … CB: Chad Brown (Nevada), Chalil Cummings (Memphis), Tony Grimes (UNLV), Ryan Turner (Boston College), T.D. Williams (Central Arkansas), Tre Wright (Mississippi State)

S: An’Darius Coffey (Northwestern), Mar’Ques “Hershey” McLaurin (Houston), Tahj Ra-El (Memphis), Myles Slusher (Colorado), Richard Toney (TCU), Crew Wakley (BYU)

Got all that? All told, that’s 12 portal DBs: six corners and six safeties.

This group is still being sorted out, so it is a total wild guess as who will start and play key roles beyond two seemingly sure things in Grimes and holdover CB Hudauri Hines, a rising talent.

Two veteran safeties who are back who figure in: Smiley Bradford and Sterling Smith.

Among the portal defections of note: S Dillon Thieneman (Oregon); Kyndrich Breedlove (Arizona State); S Ty Hudkins (Iowa); Tarrion Grant (Texas Tech). Every other DB who left? Nyland Green (Arizona State), Joe Jefferson (Louisville), Botros Alisandro (Old Dominion), Antonio Stevens … among others? Eh. This was an horrendous unit last year. Heck, the entire defense was an utter abomination.

2026 targets

Purdue already has made some hay in this area, landing commits from CB Raderrion Daniels, CB Emoni Smith and S Dana Greenhow. Daniels is the highest rated of the trio, wooed by Missouri, Ole Miss and Arkansas, among others. Smith was a one-time Louisville commit. NC State and Indiana were among Greenhow’s offers.

Plenty of targets remain on the board for the staff. But scratch CB Amarion Queen, who recently committed to UCF. That one stung, as it was thought Queen was committed to Purdue.

S Vincent Smith, a Northern Illinois commit, took a mid-week visit earlier this month. It’s thought Purdue feels like it’s in good position with Smith, who also is down to Iowa and West Virginia and will decide July 10.

The belle of the ball for Purdue is S Jett Goldsberry, whose recruitment and connection to Purdue have been well-chronicled. The dynamic Goldsberry–an On3 four-star–is one of the top prospects in Indiana who also is looking hard at North Carolina, Ole Miss and West Virginia. Fingers are crossed in West Lafayette.

S Tylen Matthews is a prep teammate of Daniels, so that has to help Purdue, right? Tennessee, Arkansas and Missouri are among his top offers. Not bad.

S Tim Sims is a rising prospect with offers from Mississippi State, Georgia Tech and Kansas.

CB Dana Greenhow (committed)

CB Emoni Smith (committed)

CB DD Daniels (committed)

S Vincent Smith

S Jett Goldsberry

S Tim Sims

S Tylen Mathews

Projecting 2025 depth chart

CB  Tony Grimes | Ryan Turner
CB Hudauri Hines | T.D. Williams 
S Crew Wakley | An’Darius Coffey
S Tahj Ra-El | Richard Toney

My take

Purdue has recruited this spot hard, already landing the aforementioned three commitments with several more DBs being hotly pursued. And, from the looks of recruiting profiles, Purdue has solid players on board, led by Daniels.

The big prize left is Goldsberry, the type of in-state gem Barry Odom and Co., need to land as they lay the foundation for the program.

There figures to be plenty of opportunities to play as soon as 2026, making the recruiting pitch enticing for a secondary that has been demolished and rebuilt. How will this unit look this fall? It may be the biggest mystery on the roster.

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