Purdue Football Recruiting Status Report

Published: 7^th Jul 12 8:26 pm

Drew Wooden
Drew Wooden

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Andrew Weber-US PRESSWIRE

In early July, there’s a lot of work to be done for Purdue’s 2013 recruiting class. However, Danny Hope is out to a good start by nabbing key prospects at the quarterback, running back, and defensive positions.

The current commitments include:

Four star quarterback Danny Etling: Etling hails from Terre Haute, Indiana and is the cousin of graduated linebacker Joe Holland. He has been selected as an Elite 11 finalist, which further solidifies his status as a top notch signal caller in the prep ranks. He has good size, a fairly strong arm, and above average athleticism. What might separate him though is his work ethic and competitiveness. Even though he plays for a high school program that is often outmatched by bigger schools, he displays good leadership and playmaking ability. Here are his highlights of him at the Elite 11 combine in Columbus (LINK) and here are highlights from his junior season (LINK). For fun, I’d like to nickname him the “baby-faced killer” because he looks innocent, but I think he will torch defensive secondaries as a Purdue quarterback.
Defensive end/outside linebacker Randy Gregory: this is a defensive end recruit that has an extremely high ceiling. High school basketball fans in central Indiana might remember Gregory as a very athletic forward at Hamilton Southeastern. He has excellent size at 6-6 and 240 lbs. He has the athleticism to play on Sundays. He would be a fantastic fit as either a 4-3 defensive end pass rusher or an outside linebacker that can cover ground with his size and ability to move laterally. The biggest problem is that Gregory is currently being recruited by other BCS schools despite his commitment to Purdue. That means Danny Hope will have to fight extremely hard to keep this ultra talented recruit if he wants to add him to the den of defensive ends. Note: there are no current highlights available.
Running back David Yancey: from the region, this 5-11 and 200 lb. running back was extremely productive as a quarterback for Lake Central. His highlights (LINK) show very good vision and adequate speed for a Big Ten running back. His change of direction is quick and he has good size as just a high school player. Purdue badly needs a good running back for the future and Yancey fits that bill.
Defensive lineman John Strauser: the nephew of Pitt’s head coach, Paul Chryst, Strauser pledged to be a versatile piece of Purdue’s future defense. He projects as either a defensive end or defensive tackle. He is currently 6-4 and 240 lbs and he has a non-stop motor. He could even play as a linebacker, but I think it’s more likely he plays with his hand in the dirt. He has a football pedigree and will likely develop into a nice weapon for Tim Tibesar. Note: there are no highlights of Strauser.
Defensive lineman Jake Replogle: oddly, Replogle’s three older brothers all went to or currently attend Indiana University on football scholarships. Replogle is from a southwestern Ohio football powerhouse, Centerville High School. He is currently 6-4 and 230 pounds, but may grow into a defensive tackle eventually. If not, he should have good size and speed to play on the outside of the defensive line. His highlights (LINK) show that he plays all over the field for Centerville’s defense and that he has a great pursuit of the ball.

With five current commits, expect Purdue to add another 15 or so recruits over the next seven months. At this early juncture, Danny Hope’s needs include linebacker, safety, defensive linemen, running back, linebacker, and tight end.

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