Purdue in the Pros: Who made the cut?

The 2023 NFL season begins this week, and 16 Purdue Boilermakers made 53-man rosters to start the new season. GoldandBlack.com looks at each Boilermaker in the NFL and what their 2023 outlook could be.

LB MARKUS BAILEY – CINCINNATI BENGALS

Entering his fourth NFL season, Bailey has carved out a nice role as a special teams ace for the Bengals. He’s utilized in both coverage and the return game, playing a valuable role with the ability to contribute at linebacker when needed.

LB DERRICK BARNES – DETROIT LIONS

Barnes suited up for 32 of Detroit’s 33 games in his first two seasons as a pro. With 10 starts under his belt, he appears as a starter at linebacker on the Lions’ preseason depth chart. He’s a part of a deep linebacking corps in the Motor City, as returning starter Alex Anzalone and first-round pick Jack Campbell will give him plenty of competition, but Barnes will see the field plenty in 2023.

WR DAVID BELL – CLEVELAND BROWNS

Year one was quieter than Bell had hoped, catching 24 passes for 214 yards. He’s currently listed as a backup on the Browns’ two-deep, so opportunities for the former All-American may be spotty.

LB JA’WHAUN BENTLEY – NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Fresh off a two-year, $18.75-million extension, Bentley continues to handle the middle of the New England Patriots’ defense. Bentley is in his sixth season with the Patriots, hoping to continue to build on his past success. In each of his first five years, Bentley’s total number of tackles has increased, and he’s started every game he’s played over the past three seasons.

TE PAYNE DURHAM – TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

The rookie tight end begins the season as a backup on the Buccaneers depth chart. While Durham’s pass-catching abilities got him to the NFL, he’s likely to play a role on special teams as well as offense in his rookie campaign.

LB JALEN GRAHAM – SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

One of the final picks in the draft, Graham fought his way onto the 53-man roster. The versatile defender is listed as the third-string MIKE linebacker on the depth chart, so his ability to contribute on special teams certainly played into the calculus of keeping him on the roster.

TE BRYCEN HOPKINS – LOS ANGELES RAMS

Hopkins appeared to turn the corner in Super Bowl LVI when he caught four passes in the Rams’ victory, but he caught just seven passes in 2022. Now in his third season in Los Angeles, Hopkins will start the year second on the depth chart behind Tyler Higbee, looking to make this his breakthrough campaign.

WR CHARLIE JONES – CINCINNATI BENGALS

“Chuck Sizzle” made the Bengals 53-man roster both to be utilized as a receiver and punt returner. While he didn’t get many chances to showcase his return abilities at Purdue, he earned all-Big Ten honors as a punt returner at Iowa before transferring. His path to playing time at receiver is a bit crowded, as stars JaMarr Chase and Tee Higgins figure to receive the majority of targets.

DE GEORGE KARLAFTIS – KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

One year, one Super Bowl ring for the West Lafayette native, who recorded six sacks and recovered a pair of fumbles as a rookie in 2022. After getting his feet wet, he’ll look to make the proverbial “year two leap” and become a constant presence on the field for the Chiefs defense.

WR RONDALE MOORE – ARIZONA CARDINALS

The speed demon suffered injuries in each of his first two seasons, playing in just eight games in 2022 before a groin injury ended his year. Now healthy, he projects to start in the slot for the Cardinals, who figure to rank among the league’s worst teams with an unstable quarterback situation.

RB RAHEEM MOSTERT – MIAMI DOLPHINS

Purdue’s longest-tenured pro, Mostert, set a new career-high in rushing yards last season with 891. After his time with San Francisco, he enters his second season with the Dolphins. While he faces competition from Jeff Wilson, Jr. and rookie De’Von Achane, Mostert will play a prominent role in the Dolphins’ offense again this season. Can Mostert be trusted in Fantasy Football?

QB AIDAN O’CONNELL – LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

The rookie shined in the preseason, drawing rave reviews for his performance. O’Connell completed 69 percent of his passes for 482 yards and three touchdowns in the preseason. He finds himself in a battle with veteran Brian Hoyer for the backup spot behind starter Jimmy Garoppolo.

CB CORY TRICE* – PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Trice suffered a season-ending knee injury during training camp and will spend the 2023 season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. While he suffered an ACL tear in his left knee in 2021 at Purdue, this injury occurred to his right knee.

PRACTICE SQUAD PLAYERS

QB David Blough – Detroit Lions
CB Anthony Brown – Pittsburgh Steelers
FB Zander Horvath – Pittsburgh Steelers
OL Jordan Roos – Tennessee Titans
CB Reese Taylor – Kansas City Chiefs

Game Week Info:
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