Purdue Football Recruiting: Eddy Wilson Commits

Purdue finally avenged it's 2003 loss to the Bowling Green Falcons by plucking Eddy Wilson II, a 3* defensive tackle and one of Bowling Green's highest rated recruits, from their 2015 recruiting class. This reprise was a long time in coming for the Boilermakers, but at least it's a nice retirement gift for Kyle Orton, whose 16th ranked Boilermakers fell to the razor sharp talons of the Falcons on that fateful September morning over a decade ago.

On top of dealing a rather harsh blow to those vile birds of prey in Ohio, Purdue is picking up a defensive tackle/defensive end with plenty of potential. Wilson is listed as a 6'5 260 pound defensive tackle, which is both unusually tall and unusually skinny for a defensive tackle, but seems to fit the mold for a strong side defensive end fairly well. In his highlight film, Wilson is usually lined up at the defensive end position, and shows an explosive first step off the line, which he uses to get into the backfield, and once in the backfield, he dispatches the ball carrier with much verve and vigor.

I really like Wilson as a run stuffing end. He has the size to play defensive end right now, and is probably at least 30 pounds away contributing at defensive tackle. Purdue is in need of help sooner rather than later, and he can always slide inside if he outgrows the end position, much like former #1 recruit Robert Nkemdiche did with Ole Miss this year. I could see Wilson playing a role similar to the role Corey Crawford (6'5 - 270) and Tavaris Barnes (6'4 275) played for Clemson this year. Crawford and Barnes were tasked with stopping the run from their defensive end position while the somewhat undersized Vic Beasley attacked the quarterback from his defensive end position. Purdue verbal commits Twazanga Mugala and Tim Faison can play the fast, undersized defensive end role in this class while Eddy Wilson and Chazmyn Turner (considered one of the big surprises of the North Carolina Shrine Bowl team) can play the role of the big, run stuffing defensive ends.

Regardless of how he is used, Wilson is a solid pickup for the Boilermakers, who are on somewhat of a recruiting roll late in the game.

Oh, and suck it Bowling Green, you broke my heart in 2003. I hope this hurts.