There has been a lot of talk about some big-time high school recruits making their commitments, but Purdue has made quite a bit of noise in the Transfer Portal as well with some high-profile acquisitions. Ohio State, Michigan, and incoming Big Ten power USC have been getting the majority of the press, but the Boilermakers have put together an impressive transfer class that has flown under the radar and could make waves in the upcoming year.
Purdue’s Transfers Indicate A Complete Overhaul
When the Transfer Portal started many programs took aim at it for some quick fixes. Lincoln Riley of USC comes to mind, as he nabbed high-profile players out of the portal such as Caleb Williams. However, since the initial excitement wore off, many teams have opted to use it as a way to fill the gaps rather than a means to develop their team. At the same time, there are some exceptions when a coach is trying to create a new dynamic by performing a roster overhaul. This appears to be what Purdue Head Coach Ryan Walters may be doing as he has brought a mountain of new players via the portal.
The Boilermakers have a solid freshman recruiting class of 26 players, giving them a 32nd overall ranking, according to 24/7sports. However, they have also brought in a whopping 16 transfers. To put this in perspective, this is one-third greater than the aforementioned USC. But what this also means is that between the incoming freshman class and the transfers, the Boilermakers will have renovated half their roster.
Purdue Acquires A Lot of Talent
Although Purdue brought in a a lot of players via the portal, they did not skimp on quality as six of the sixteen were former four-star recruits. In addition, of the players that came in, four arrived from Georgia and one from Notre Dame, and two were brought in from soon-to-be Big 10 rival UCLA. So these are not simply athletes transferring in from long-suffering programs but are rather incoming athletes arriving from other universities with big-time pedigrees.
They Focused On Pressuring the Quarterback
Last year, Purdue’s defense was a major issue, as they ranked 105th in total defense according to SportsReference.com, and this became even more of an issue when their leading pass rusher, Nic Scourton, left the program to enter the Transfer Portal. So, it should come as no surprise that the Boilermakers honed in on edge rushers and cornerbacks. This includes former four-star and Georgia player, C.J. Madden and Boston College transfer Shitta Sillah, both of whom should bolster the Boilermakers’ pass rush. They also addressed a porous defensive backfield bringing in cornerbacks Nyland Green from Georgia and poaching one of Deion Sanders’s former players, Kyndrich Breedlove from Colorado.
They Got An Offensive Boost As Well
Though much of their focus was on defense, the Boilermakers did not ignore the offense when it came to the Transfer Portal. Wanting to provide quarterback Hudson Card with more options, head coach Ryan Walters went after wide receivers and brought in a group who will certainly make an impact. This includes Kam Brown who made his way to Purdue via UCLA. He will be joined by former four-star recruits CJ Smith and De’Nylon Morrissette who left Georgia to join the Boilermakers.
Wanting to provide Card with more time to throw as well as to open up their running game, the Purdue staff brought in some help on the offensive line. They added Joey Tanone from Notre Dame and Joshua Sales from Big 10 rival Indiana. These additions should bring more stability to their front.
Purdue also went after other skill positions, adding Illinois running back Reggie Love III and kicker RJ Love from UCLA.
Purdue Will be Tested With A Brutal Schedule
The Boilermakers will have little time to get their transfer additions up to speed as they have one of the toughest schedules in the nation. After opening with Indiana State on August 31st, their next six games will feature Notre Dame, Wisconsin, and Oregon. Things will not get any easier in the second half of the year with games against Ohio State in Columbus and Penn State at home.