We knew it could be a busy weekend for football recruiting with Purdue's Elite camp going on in West Lafayette, but we have a surprise commitment from a player that got an offer tonight. Kirk Barron, an offensive lineman from Mishawaka Marian High School in northern Indiana, has committed to the Boilermakers this evening upon receiving an offer:
Kirk Barron just committed to #Purdue
— GoldandBlack.com (@GoldandBlackcom) June 15, 2013
Welcome aboard, Kirk. Let's get to know you.
Barron is expected to play at center for Purdue, meaning he can be a little shorter than your average outside lineman. He is 6'2" 294 pounds and is a two-star recruit according to Rivals. He had originally committed to Ohio, but flipped his commitment tonight. Before tonight he only had offers from Ohio, Massachusetts, and Ball State, but schools like Indiana, Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Tennessee had expressed interest according to ESPN.
Last season Mishawaka Marian reached the semi-state round of the state tournament in Class 3A before losing to Hamilton Heights one game short of the state finals. They were 10-4 after going 9-3 when Barron was a sophomore.
This is an interesting commitment. most offensive linemen, especially interior linemen, need a few years to develop before making an impact. I think it will be three seasons at minimum before he even sees the field, putting his projected debut in 2016 after he finishes high school, redshirts, and spends his redshirt freshman year as a backup.
Still, he is now a Boiler, so welcome aboard!