Recruiting News and Notes
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PURDUE FOOTBALL RECRUITING
• A second portal window will open April 15-30. No doubt, Purdue will have a handful of players jump in after spring drills. And, the Boilermaker staff figures to be in the market for talent, too. Among the positions that could be priorities: Safety, tight end, running back and interior d-line.
• What type of a player is Purdue getting in recently committed Landon Brooks, a 6-6, 210-pound EDGE from Delta High in Muncie, Ind.? The skinny: Great length is his strength. Good athlete. A raw player with developmental upside. Explosive off the ball. Plays well in a two-point stance.
Brooks plans to enroll early and doesn’t think he’ll need to redshirt. He is one of five 2025 commits for Purdue, joining CB Tarrion Grant, QB Sawyer Anderson, RB Ziaire Stevens and EDGE Rashad Jones.
• More June official visits “locked in” for 2025 recruits. By our count, that’s 19 OVs set for June. A look at the OVs we reported last week.
LB Charles White: June 21-23
• Drayden Pavey: June 7-9
Several 2025/2026 recruits have announced unofficial visits for spring ball. Expect many more.
• 2025 AJ Johnson of Cathedral High in Indianapolis: March 19
• 2026 S Mykul Campell of Decatur Central in Indy: March 29
• 2025 DL Jordin Farrow of River Rouge High in Inkster, Mich.: March 29
• 2026 ATH Mack Sutter of Dunlap, Ill.: April 6
• 2025 OL Kevin Peay of Lancaster, S.C.: April 11
• 2026 OL Will Conroy of Cleveland St. Ignatius High: April 13
• 2025 WR Clarence Taylor of Pleasant Grove, Ala.: April 13
• Purdue did not make the cut for touted Warren Central EDGE Damien Shanklin. He’s the No. 1 player in Indiana in the Class of 2025, according to On3.com. Ben Davis CB Mark Zackery (No. 2 in the state) recently scratched Purdue. Elkhart Central EDGE Mariyon Dye (No. 3) and Leo TE Brock Schott (No. 4) also appear to be difficult to land, with each possessing high-end offers.
Purdue looks to be in good stead with Hamilton Southeastern CB Mason Alexander (No. 5), Fishers WR JonAnthony Hall (No. 7) and Hamilton Southeastern OL Cameron Gorin (10th).
Alexander (June 7); Gorin (7th); Hall (14th); Schott (14th) have OVs set for June.
Still a long ways to go.
PURDUE FOOTBALL
• Spring practice starts next Tuesday. But, players have been lifting and doing informal workouts this winter. Which early enrolled true freshmen have impressed?
DL Demeco Kennedy: Has shown uncanny quickness, burst.
S Smiley Bradford: Lacks size but plays with savvy.
OL Jaden Ball: May be rare true frosh OL who plays.
RB Jaheim Merriweather: Bigger back with burst who can catch.
QB Marcos Davila: Biggest signal-caller on roster has strong arm; needs to tone body.
• How will JC transfer o-linemen Jaekwon Bouldin and Rod Green look this spring? Both figure to settle in at guard, but each may have work to do. They figure to be depth players initially.
• Sounds like Salim Turner-Muhammad is hurt … again. He has yet to play a snap since transferring to Purdue in 2023 from Stanford. He is expected to compete at the “star” spot this spring.
• Ryan Walters on spring drills, which begin next Tuesday:
“For the staff, you get to know your players, you get to know your roster, what buttons to push and how to lead them. I was very impressed with the way we adapted to the roster and got creative with the injuries and the adversities that we hit a year ago. I’m more comfortable as head coach. This isn’t new for me anymore.
“So, I feel like I’ve got a better grasp and command of the locker room, of different departments. I feel like I’m part of West Lafayette. It doesn’t feel like I’m the new guy and trying to figure it out. So, hopefully, you look at where we are today and how much better shape we are in than we were a year ago. Hopefully that looks the same in terms of our improvement on the field on Saturdays in the fall.”
