Purdue is looking for two new starters this season along the offensive line. One of them appears to be a young player with an excellent pedigree to be a very good lineman in this league, and he is today's featured player.
Robert Kugler - So. (RS)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (North Allegany HS)
Center
6'3", 280 pounds
2013 Projection: Starter at Center
Kugler was originally recruited as a defensive end/tight end prospect but moved to center after spring practice in 2012. He ended up being one of the biggest pickups of the 2011 recruiting class originally as a 4-star tight end. His father, however, is the offensive line coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and those skills appear to be what he is using at Purdue.
This past spring he won the offense's pit bull award for tenacity. This came on the heels of him winning the team's most improved award for the 2012 season. He played extensively as a reserve and heads into the 2013 season as the favorite to start at center. This is a key position as the leader of the offensive line. He will likely be the youngest starter and he could be working with a freshman quarterback. Because of this, he finds himself in a key role not just this season, but the next three going forward since he has three years left.