Purdue Football: 2021 Most Wanted - Update

Happy Memorial Day to everyone out there in Boilerland. There has been some comings and goings on the recruiting front over the last couple weeks, and have a little time while the family is napping to hit you with an update.

In case you didn’t read my original most wanted list, you can find it here.

The link gives you the most information, and some video links, but if you’re looking for the short list, it looked like this:

1. Yanni Karlaftis - LB - West Lafayette, IN
2. Unknown Nose Tackle - DT - Part Unknown
3. Austin Booker - DE - Greenwood, IN
4. Daylan Carnell - CB - Indianapolis IN
5. Trinity Bell - TE - Albertville, AL
6. Kyran Motgomery - DE/OLB - Indianapolis, IN

Other Players of Interest

1. Donaven McCulley - QB - Indianpolis, IN
2. Mar’Keise Irving - RB - Country Club Hills, IL
3. Joshua Sales - OL - Brownsburg, IN

Players Off the Board

Trinity Bell

Purdue didn’t make Bell’s Final 5, and soon after he committed to Tennessee. This was a long shot from the start. I love Bell’s upside, but I’m not surprised he’s staying in SEC country.

Next up at TE

Jackson West - 6’4, 230 - 3* - Huntsville, Alabama

West is one of the hottest tight ends on the recruiting radar right now, and Purdue was in early, offering him on June 9th, 2019. He took an unofficial visit to Purdue on November 2nd, 2019, and it looked like the Boilermakers were in decent shape.

Things have changed significantly over the last year, and the biggest change for West was Florida State coming through with an offer on May 14th, 2020. It looks like that offer may have reset his leader board, and the Seminoles may be on top.

He will announce his decision on June, 1st, and I’d rather be the Noles than any other team right now, if I’m looking for a commitment from West. After West, Purdue doesn’t have much traction. It’s possible they don’t take a tight end in 2021, or they may look elsewhere and send out another scholarship offer or two.

Jordan Dingle, a TE out of Bowling Green, was thought to be interested early on in the recruiting process, but it looks like he’s heading to Kentucky. Even if he doesn’t end up at Kentucky, it doesn’t look Purdue is in the mix for Dingle anymore.

Mar’Keise Irving

Purdue looked like it had some traction with Irving early, but Minnesota is killing everyone on the recruiting trail right now. They landed Irving.

Up Next at Running Back

No One

Purdue has a few offers out right now, but isn’t making much headway at the running back position. The Boilermakers don’t need to take a RB in the 2021 class, and with 2 wide receivers already in the fold, this is the position that probably gets cut out of the 2021 class.

Updates

Yanni Karlaftis

It’s a 4 team race at the moment for Karlaftis with Purdue, Wisconsin, Cal and Oregon in the running.

Yanni was planning on visiting Cal and Oregon this summer, but that has obviously fallen through. You would think that would make this a 2 way race between Purdue and Wisconsin, but I wouldn’t rule out either west coast school just yet.

Purdue is still in good shape, and overall, I think I’d rather be Purdue than any other team, but this thing could go any number of ways.

Nose Tackle

Nothing to report, one name to keep an eye on is Kenjuan Manuel out of Washington D.C. He’s a low 3*, high 2* guy and Purdue is his only P5 offer at the moment. Other and Kenjuan, I’ve got nothing.

Austin Booker

It’s good news and very bad news for Booker.

The good news is that Purdue made his top 12.

The very bad news is some of the more in the know national recruiting guys recently projected Booker to Minnesota. It’s not over, but when Steve Wiltfong of 247 puts down a marker, it’s usually a bad sign if he doesn’t put it down on your team.

Losing Booker to Minnesota would be double whammy for Purdue. It would be reminiscent of losing Kyle King to Michigan State last year.

Daylan Carnell

Nothing new to report on the Carnell front. It’s still a 3 team race between Purdue, Missouri, and West Virginia. One interesting note is the Carnell’s lead recruiter for West Virginia is none other than former Purdue interim head coach Gerard Parker.

Donaven McCulley

No news on McCulley. There are still 5 teams in contention for the lanky dual threat QB. Purdue, Missouri, Indiana, and Iowa have been in on McCulley the longest, but Ole Miss jumped in late and landed in his top 5. Out of the 4 other teams, Ole Miss concerns me the most. Kiffin can recruit and he’s got a good bit to offer a mobile QB in his offense. I’m sure the name “Tua” has been thrown around a few times.

Kyran Montgomery

Kyran was on the Indiana Star Preps podcast last week and shed a little light on his recruiting situation. First off, he says he is weighing in at 250 pounds right now. Most recruiting sites have him significantly lighter than that. At 250 he would be a bone crunching OLB in Diaco’s defense. He’s also rehabbing after off season surgery on a torn labrum that he played with his entire junior season.

Purdue is still in the mix for Montgomery, along with Indiana, Illinois, Arizona State and sundry other Midwestern schools. Just a hunch, but IU could be an issue for Purdue if Montgomery decides to stay in-state.

Josh Sales

Sales has a top 5 of Purdue, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan State and Nebraska. He also has a recent offer from Arizona State to consider.

Like Montgomery, Indiana makes me nervous. The Hoosiers recent success in developing offensive linemen, paired with Purdue’s struggles gives IU a great talking point. He says he’s looking for team culture, player development, and education. While education is usually a check for Purdue, he wants to major in business, which helps the Hoosiers.

Purdue’s is still in the mix, and will fight hard for the in-state prospect, but I don’t think they’re the favorite.