8 Days To Purdue Football: Raheem Mostert

Today's player is one of the most dangerous weapons out there in Purdue's arsenal. He is now a junior that has already proven his worth as a Special Teams difference-maker and is in line to be one of the nation's best at his position.

Raheem Mostert - Jr.

New Smyrna Beach, Florida (New Smyrna Beach HS)

5'11", 186 pounds

Running Back/Kick Returner

2013 Projection: Starter at kick returner

Mostert has been listed as a wide receiver before this year, when he recently switched to running back. That makes sense, as he has yet to catch a collegiate pass, but has 193 yards rushing and three touchdowns.

Where he really shines, however, is as a kick returner. I like to think of him as a potential eraser. If the defense gives up a touchdown Mostert has the ability to immediately erase it with a return either for a score or deep into opponent territory. In just 20 career games (he missed five due to a knee injury last year) he already has 1,300 career return yards with an average of 30 yards per return. He only has one touchdown, which came in the 2011 Little Caesar's Bowl, but he has regularly busted big returns. Last season he nearly broke the late kickoff return for a touchdown after Notre Dame took a 20-17 lead.

Mostert is all over the Purdue record books and can graduate as Purdue's best returner ever. He holds the record for return yards in a game with 206 (at Wisconsin, 2011), and career return yard average. He is fifth in career return yardage and is only 825 yards behind Dorien Bryant for the record.

In 2011 he was statistically the best returner in the country at 33.5 yards per attempt. He is a threat to score every time and did almost that his final year of high school. That year he had nine kickoff returns and a punt return for a touchdown. He may not be able to find a place in the offense, but he is definitely a useful weapon in the return game that few teams have.