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Today we have another walk-on, but like a few mentioned here so far, he is one that has already contributed. He is also the oldest player on the team even though he is only a sophomore.
Jarrett Burgess - So.
Miami, FL (Florida Christian HS)
6'2", 216 pounds
Wide Receiver
2016 Projection: Contributor at wide receiver
By the time that the season starts Jarrett Burgess will be a 26-year-old sophomore. This is because he was drafted by the Seattle Mariners straight out of high school. He spent five seasons playing minor league baseball, but never made it higher than the Class A Northwest League. In his final season he batted just .220 with five home runs and 24 RBI. He eventually tried his hand at pitching, but his career ended due to bone spurs in his elbow.
So he headed to Chicago, where he was working out and was timed by Purdue coaches with a 4.29 40. Even though he had not played football since middle school he was able to walk-on to the team last fall. His dad played very briefly in the NFL for the Dolphins and Jets, so he had a shot at least.
The crazy thing is that even though he was very, very raw, he was good enough to actually play a bit. He saw action in 11 games and even though he did not catch a pass, he rushed for 60 yards on just three carries on end-arounds and even had a touchdown against Bowling Green.
Like Malcolm Dotson from a few days ago, Burgess will get a look because he is blindingly fast. From what little playing time he had it was obvious he had a lot to work on, but with the ball in his hands he is a home run threat.