We now sit 92 days away from Purdue's Aug. 31 debut against the Cincinnati Bearcats, which brings us to sophomore defensive lineman #92 Ryan Watson.
Ryan Watson - So.
Hometown: Elicott City, Md. (Our Lady of Good Counsel)
Defensive Tackle
6'3", 294 pounds
2013 Projection: Contributor at Defensive Tackle
Watson came to Purdue as a 4-star defensive lineman with quite an impressive offer sheet but whether it be getting stabbed in the chest at a strip club, beating up women, or just flat out not producing, Purdue hasn't had the best of luck with 4-star recruits panning out recently. However the vibe around the program is that big #92 might be the guy to put a stop to the 4-star curse.
After recording only two tackles in last year's campaign during limited playing time, Watson left this year's spring game with the reward for "Most Improved Player" on the defensive side of the ball (OL Jordan Roos won offense). Watson still projects as a backup with the likes of Bruce Gaston, Brandon Taylor, and Ryan Isaac returning but should likely see some increased playing, along with Michael Rouse III. Watson figures to see his breakout season next year as more playing time opens up due to graduations, but the MIP award is no small feat, so figure to see a lot from Watson in the future.