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No, you’re not seeing double. There are a pair of No. 28 players that could be on the field this fall.
David Yancey - Jr.
Schererville, IN (Lake Central HS)
5’10”, 210 pounds
Running Back
2016 Projection: Contributor at Running Back
Perhaps the player that has played the most but people know the least about is David Yancey. No, he is not relation to receiver DeAngelo Yancey. Yes, he was a high school teammate of Gelen Robinson. Those are the best known facts about him, but in terms of actual production he has played in 19 of a possible 24 games without a redshirt.
In 2014 as a true freshman he was primarily a special teamer. Against Southern Illinois he fielded a short kickoff and returned it 17 yards for his largest contribution. Then he tore his ACL in his right knee at Nebraska and missed the year.
He returned last year and was the de facto third string running back behind D.J. Knox and Markell Jones. He played in 11 of 12 games, but had only five carries for 13 yards and caught two passes for 11 yards.
Yancey is steady. He is not going to blow things up, but he is not going to screw things up royally. He is currently trying to become Jones’ primary backup this fall, and he could be a fullback in a pinch if needed.
Brandon Shuman - Fr.
Miami, FL (Gulliver Prep HS)
5’11”, 162 pounds
Cornerback
2016 Projection: Possible Contributor at Cornerback
The defensive backfield is really young for Purdue, but Brandon Shuman wants to be an incoming freshman that plays from day 1. He comes from Gulliver Prep in Miami, which gave us such alumni as Enrique Iglesias and Julio Iglesias as well as Sean Taylor, the player for the Washington Redskins who was shot to death in his own home.
Yes, Brandon Shuman can be our hero, baby.
Gulliver is more known for sending baseball players to the nearby University of Miami, but it is still a South Florida athletic powerhouse. Shuman was a speedy cornerback that, according to Scout, is bringing confidence to West Lafayette:
The 5-foot-10.5, 167 pound senior plays with speed and confidence. He is an academic-strong young man who shows intelligence on and off the field. Scout ranks Shuman as the No. 22 corner in the Sunshine State.