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Purdue is going to need a kicker when Paul Griggs leaves after this season, and it may have found one in a preferred walk-on. In fact, he might officially be the first player from Purdue to touch a football in a game this season.
Brian Bravo - Fr.
North Aurora, IL (Joliet Catholic HS)
6'2", 190 pounds
Kicker
2015 Projection: Possible Kickoff Specialist
Bravo comes to us from Joliet Catholic HS, the same school that gave us Mike Alstott almost 25 (!) years ago. Even though he is a preferred walk-on, he was rated as one of the best kickers in the Midwest after hitting 10 of 11 field goals and 41 of 43 extra points for his high school. His long was a 53-yarder, so the kid has a leg.
That is important because Purdue could use a player that can boot the ball into the end zone on kickoffs. Thomas Meadows has struggled to do so in his career and is concentrating more on punting. If Bravo can consistently boot touchbacks (he was 39 of 59 in that department) he might play immediately. If not, he will battle for placekicking duties in 2016.