2018 Purdue Early Recruiting Class

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue head coach Jeff Brohm announced the addition of 22 new Boilermakers in the first-ever early signing period. The class consists of 12 defenders and 10 players on the offensive side of the ball hailing from nine different states.

2018 Purdue Early Recruiting Class

Jaylan Alexander
• Hoffman Estates went 11-3 in 2017, advancing to the final four of the Class 6A Illinois state playoffs where it fell to state champions Prairie Ridge.
• Posted nine tackles, seven solo, and forced a fumble Elk Grove on Aug. 25.
• Recovered a fumble and had seven tackles vs. Deerfield on Sept. 8.
• Had a season-high 10 tackles and a fumble forced vs. Vernon Hills om Sept. 15
• Finished with a pair of interceptions against Lake Forest on Nov. 4 in the second round of the IHSA playoffs.
• Had 71 receptions for 1,087 yards and eight touchdowns on offense as a senior.
• Had 73 tackles, including five sacks, and caught 58 passes for 763 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior in 2016.

Charles Allen
• Doss went 9-3 overall in 2017, advancing to the second round of the 5A Kentucky state playoffs.
• Blocked for an offense that tallied a season-high 580 yards of total offense vs. Woodford County in the first game of the state playoffs.
• Doss averaged 423.1 yards of total offense during the regular season in 2017.

Amad Anderson
• Curtis went 11-1 in 2017, winning its second straight Public Schools Athletic League City Conference title.
• Curtis avenged its lone loss by defeating Erasmus Hall in the PSAL championship game.
• Big play potential, averaged nearly 29 yards per reception in 2017.
• Finished with four catches for 116 yards and a touchdown against Erasmus Hall on Sept. 8.
• Recorded five receptions for 126 yards and two touchdowns vs. South Shore on Sept. 16.
• Had two touchdown receptions (63 and 23 yards) vs. Brooklyn Tech on Sept. 23.
• Scored on 62- and 22-yard receptions vs. Kennedy on Sept. 29.
• Had three receptions for 111 yards and two touchdowns vs. Wagner on Oct. 14.
• Finished with two receptions for 55 yards and one touchdown against South Shore in the PSAL quarterfinals.
• Tallied two catches for 75 yards and a touchdown vs. Lincoln in the PSAL semifinals.
• Had four receptions for 77 yards in the PSAL championship game.

Evan Anderson
• Collins Hill went 6-5 in 2017.
• Rushed for 1,207 yards on 166 carries (7.3 yard per carry) and scored 13 rushing touchdowns as a senior.
• Had five straight 100-yard games in 2017.
• Recorded 102 yards on 17 carries vs. Central Gwinnet on Sept. 8.
• Finished with 140 yards and a touchdown on 15 attempts vs. Mill Creek on Sept. 22.
• Rushed 12 times for 144 yards and two touchdowns against Discovery on Sept. 29.
• Had 100 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries vs. Duluth on Oct. 6.
• Rushed 22 times for 166 yards and a season-high three touchdowns vs. Mountain View on Oct. 13.
• Posted a season-high 219 yards with two touchdowns on 16 carries against Peachtree Ridge on Nov. 3. Also had a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the game.

Elijah Ball
• Ben Davis went 14-0 in 2017, winning the Indiana 6A state championship while allowing only 15.7 points per game to its opponents.
• Ben Davis allowed merely 111 yards of total offense to Arsenal Tech on Aug. 18.
• Had a season-high 11 tackles, a PBU and forced a fumble vs. Avon on Aug. 25.
• Had eight stops and PBU against Pike on Sept. 1.
• Finished with six tackles in helping team limit Center Grove to 145 yards of total offense on Sept. 8.
• Helped hold Lawrence North 229 yards of total offense, including merely 59 yards passing, on Sept. 22.
• Tallied nine tackles vs. Lawrence Central in the sectional semifinals Oct. 27.
• Had six stops, four solo, in the sectional championship vs. Warren Central on Nov. 3.
• In the regional championship at Fishers on Nov. 10, finished with five tackles.
• Finished with three tackles in the state semifinals vs. Avon on Nov. 17.
• Ben Davis defeated Penn 63-14 to win the state title on Nov. 25.

Jordan Bonner
• Carrollton went 10-3 in 2017, advancing to the third round of the Georgia 3A state playoffs.
• Had a season-high seven receptions for 136 yards and a touchdown vs. Newman on Aug. 17.
• Recorded three receptions for 38 yards against vs. Riverdale on Sept. 1.
• Finished with two receptions for 20 yards at Cass on Nov. 3.
• Had six catches for 70 yards in the opening round of the state playoffs vs. Clarke Central on Nov. 10.
• Tallied a pair of receptions for 22 yards against Arabia Mountain in the second round of the state playoffs on Nov. 17.

Will Bramel
• Boyle County went 14-1 in 2017, winning the Kentucky 3A state championship with a 40-21 victory over Corbin in the title game.
• Blocked for an offense that averaged 46.3 points, 442.7 yards of total offense and 268.3 yards rushing per game in 2017.
• Caught a nine-yard touchdown pass vs. Mercer County on Oct. 27.

Jack Cravaack
• Maderia went 5-5 in 2017.
• Had five tackles, including a sack, and four PBUs vs. Norwood on Aug. 25.
• Finished with six tackles with a sack against Woodward on Sept. 8.
• Had a sack while helping limit Mariemont to 294 yards of total offense on Sept. 22.
• Maderia held Reading to 239 total yards on Sept. 29.
• Intercepted a pass vs. Wyoming on Oct. 6.
• Recorded sacks vs. Deer Park (Oct. 13) and Finneytown (Oct. 20)
• Had 17 tackles, six sacks and forced two fumbles as a junior in 2016.

Branson Deen
• Lawrence Central went 6-4 in 2017, advancing to the Indiana 6A state playoffs.
• Had 42 total tackles as a senior in 2017.
• Lawrence Central allowed merely 257 yards of total offense to Bishop Chatard on Aug. 25.
• Warren Central amassed only 271 total yards in its Sept. 8 meeting with Lawrence Central.
• Helped lead a defense that held Center Grove to 200 yards of total offense on Sept. 22.
• Assisted in limiting Carmel to 266 total yards on Oct. 13.
• Finished with 14 tackles and a sack as a junior in 2016.

Payne Durham
• Caught 22 passes for 330 yards and five touchdowns.
• First team all-county.
• 2017 all-region.
• Voted team captain.
• Played lacrosse prior to moving over to football as a senior.

Lawrence Johnson
• Snider went 11-1 in 2017, advancing to the regional championship of the 6A Indiana state playoffs.
• Finished with 28 total tackles, including eight sacks, as senior in 2017 according to maxpreps.com.
• Helped Snider limit North Side to 203 yards of total offense on Aug. 18.
• Had five tackles with a sack is assisting to limit Carroll to merely 130 yards on Aug. 25.
• Finished with three tackles vs. Concordia Lutheran on Sept. 1.
• Had four tackles with a sack at Homestead on Sept. 15.
• Recorded seven tackles, three solo, vs. Wayne on Sept. 22.
• Tallied eight tackles, including one for loss, at Northrop on Sept. 29.
• Had a season-high 11 total tackles in the regional championship game vs. Carmel on Nov. 10.
• Had 43 tackles — including 11 tackles for loss — to go along with eight sacks and two fumbles forced as a junior in 2016.

Jeff Marks
• Davidson went 7-4 in 2017, advancing to the first round of the Alabama 7A state playoffs.
• Davidson allowed merely 10.2 points per game with two shutouts in 2017.
• Davidson held its opponents to 253 yards or less of total offense seven times in 2017.
• Had 38 tackles with seven sacks as a senior in 2017.

Jimmy McKenna
• Named Division II second team All-Ohio.
• Helped lead Avon to a 13-1 record and berth in the Ohio Division II State Semifinals.
• Blocked for an offense that averaged 394.0 yards per game, including 206.6 on the ground.

Eric Miller
• Led Mason to a 9-3 record and regional semifinals appearance.
• Blocked for an offense that averaged 299.0 yards of offense per game, including 183.8 on the ground.
• Named first team All-GMC.

Byron Perkins
• Led De La Salle Institute to a 6-4 record, including a berth in the Illinois state playoffs.
• Had three interceptions and a fumble recovery in his senior season.
• Also played receiver and returned kickoffs, including a 47-yard return against Mt. Carmel in the team’s 21-14 win.

Jack Plummer
• Threw for 2,822 yards and 35 touchdowns, to just seven interceptions, while completing 58.8 percent of his passes in 10 games for Gilbert.
• Had five 300-yard passing games, including 349 yards against Red Mountain.
• Threw four or more touchdown passes in seven games, including five against Mesquite and Highland.
• Also rushed for 404 yards and seven touchdowns, including a season-high 107 yards on 10 carries against Highland.
• Had seven total touchdowns against Gilbert.
• Threw 69 touchdown passes in three seasons.
• Listed as the No. 30 quarterback in the country by ESPN.com.
• Named to the honorable mention All-USA Arizona High School Team.

Jordan Rucker
• Led team to a 14-1 record, including a berth in the Class 5A Division I state semifinals.
• Had 38 tackles, including 3.0 for loss, on the season.
• Unanimous first team All-District selection.

Kadin Smith
• Had 59 tackles, a forced fumble, an interception and a fumble recovery, both of which were returned for touchdowns, for his senior season at Spencer County.
• Also had 1,170 yards of total offense, including 946 yards on the ground, and 14 touchdowns. • Named Class 4A-District Four Player of the Year.
• Selected as a defensive back for the Best of the Bluegrass All-Star football game.
• All-district selection each of the last three years.
• Named third team All-State as a junior.
• Scored touchdowns four different ways against Woodford County, as he rushed for two touchdowns, had a receiving touchdown, returned an interception for a touchdown and returned a fumble for a touchdown in the team’s 49-7 win.
• Rushed for a season-high 276 yards and four touchdowns in the team’s season opening win against Bardstown.
• Had 233 rushing yards and three touchdowns against Henry County.
• Had at least nine tackles in four games, including 10 against Bullitt Central and Henry County.

KJ Stokes
• Forced two turnovers in Stanhope Elmore’s game against Prattville, with an interception and a fumble.
• Led his team to a playoff berth.
• Named All-Metro as a junior after finishing with 92 tackles, 8.0 for loss, five sacks, four interceptions and four fumble recoveries.
• Named honorable mention All-Metro as a sophomore.

Jack Sullivan
• Had 20 tackles, including six sacks, an interception and a forced fumble for Plainfield East.
• Had 2.0 sacks in his team’s season-opening win against Joliet Central.
• Had a sack and an interception, which he returned 40 yards, against Oswego.

Kory Taylor
• As a senior, caught 55 passes for 911 yards and nine touchdowns for Hilliard Bradley.
• Led his team to an 11-1 record and back-to-back Ohio Capital Conference Cardinal championships. • Named second team All-Central District as a senior and sophomore.
• Named first team All-OCC as a senior and second team as a sophomore.
• Named preseason Big School second team All-State in Ohio.

Cory Trice
• Had 31 tackles in eight games for Christian County.
• Named the Southern Pennyrile Football Athlete of the Year.
• Named Class 5A-District 1 Player of the Year.
• Selected for the Best of the Bluegrass All-Star Game.
• Named first team All-Western Kentucky Conference.
• Had a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the season-opener and returned three punts for touchdowns during the season.
• Scored two touchdowns and a two-point conversion against Apollo with a 45-yard interception return and an 86-yard fumble return.
• Recorded three interceptions on the season.