Recruiting News and Notes
Welcome to “Recruiting News and Notes,” GoldandBlack.com’s weekly information clearinghouse, a spot for assorted bits of Purdue news, analysis and so on and so forth, intended for GoldandBlack.com members and GoldandBlack.com members only.
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PURDUE FOOTBALL RECRUITING
• It is difficult for recruits to visit on Tuesday and Thursday mornings since they have school to attend when Purdue practices. The Friday 5 p.m. practices are better set up for recruits to visit campus. So, look for the majority of recruit foot traffic to be on Fridays.
• This is a “quiet period” until April 15. In a quiet period, it is permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts only on the member institution’s campus. No in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts or evaluations may be made during a quiet period.
A “contact period” is that period of time when it is permissible for authorized athletics department staff members to make in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts and evaluations.
• Friday’s practices are closed to media, but here’s a look at some recruits expected to visit tomorrow:
2025 DE Caleb Smith, Birmingham (Ala.) Parker. He has a Purdue offer. Touted prospect.
2025 OLB Uchenyo Ojata, Carmel (Ind.). He is the brother of Jireh Ojata, who just transferred to Purdue from Franklin College and is going through spring drills. No Purdue offer.
2025 TE Brian Kortovich, Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph. He’ll likely earn a Purdue offer.
2025 WR Lebron Hill, Hammond (Ind.) Morton Senior. He’ll likely earn a Purdue offer.
2026 DB Omar Williams, Jr., Lafayette (Ind.) Jeff. No Purdue offer.
2026 ILB Ja’Kobe Clapper, Cincinnati St. Xavier. He has a Purdue offer. Big-time prospect.
• Purdue also expects 2024 signee/incoming freshman DL Caleb Mitchell-Irving of DeSoto (Texas) Parish Episcopal to visit West Lafayette tomorrow.
• Purdue had a raft of recruits at its practice on Tuesday:
2025 OL Nathan Tveit, Oviedo (Fla.)
2025 OL Cade Wilhelmi, Detroit Country Day
2025 WR AJ Johnson, Indianapolis Cathedral
2025 DB Seaonta Stewart, Cincinnati Winton Woods
2026 QB Bryshawn Brown, Cincinnati Winton Woods
2026 DB Rihyael Kelley, Cincinnati Winton Woods
2026 DB Robert Reddick, Indianapolis Ben Davis, left with a scholarship offer–his first. I talked to Reddick this week and will post a story soon. Tried to Zoom with him, but he couldn’t get his audio to work. Nice young man. Gonna be a sought-after recruit by many schools.
2025 WR AJ Johnson, Indianapolis Cathedral High
2025 OL Cade Wilhelmi, Detroit Country Day
• Purdue played host to Edina (Minn.) High 2026 QB Mason West at today’s practice. It’s thought he is not a priority recruit.
2026 Edina (Minn.) QB Mason West
• WR Kamren Flowers of West Bloomfield High in Michigan will visit March 23.
• Purdue offered 2027 CB Ashton Alston of Anderson High in Cincinnati. He’s a big-timer.
• 2026 four-star RB Shahn Alston will visit Purdue April 5.
• Purdue will play host to myriad prospects from Michigan on a spring break tour put on by Rising Stars Academy in West Bloomfield Hills, Mich. It’s one of many stops on the tour.
PURDUE FOOTBALL
• QB Hudson Card on early enrolled freshman signal-caller Marcos Davila: “Yeah, he can spin it. I think he’s gonna be a really good player. And, you know, I’m happy that he came here, obviously, and you know, just try to give him some words of wisdom. You know, from things that I’ve experienced in my past and I’m excited for him. He’s got a bright future.”
• S Dillon Thieneman offered some insight into why he lines up so deep in the Boiler defensive scheme:
“So, being that deep, I’m able to see the whole field so I can see how the routes play out, where different people are playing and I am able to read the quarterback. So, letting the outside linebackers rush, get pressure on the quarterback, allows me to see the field and I can break downhill instead of having to go back so I can play faster.”
