Today's player is one that has shifted from one side of the football to the next and back, but he enters his senior season finally hoping to make a regular difference.
Eric McDaniel - Sr.
Calhoun, Georgia (Calhoun HS)
6'2", 300 pounds
Defensive tackle
2013 Projection: In the rotation at defensive tackle
Poor Eric McDaniel was all over the place under Danny Hope. After redshirting in 2009 he played in three games as a reserve defensive tackle in 2010. Then he was moved to offensive guard, where he played in two games as a reserve in 2011. He was in the mix to start last season but only played in a handful of games as a reserve on the offensive line. Now he is back on the defensive side of the ball in his final season.
McDaniel brings good size to the position. He was a three-star prospect that was the No. 31 rated defensive tackle in the national by Scout.com. Will this finally be the year he makes an impact? He has three other seniors (Bruce Gaston, Ryan Isaac, and Brandon Taylor) at the position with him, so Purdue is definitely long on experience there. In the recent GBI glossy that was mailed out (A must read if you can get it) McDaniel wasn't even mentioned as a potential role player, but we shall see.