Purdue Football Player Countdown: #85 Alex Maxwell

We’re on quite a run of walk-on receivers from accomplished Indiana teams, but today’s player is a converted quarterback to receiver.

Alex Maxwell - Fr.

St. Leon, IN (East Central HS)

6’, 195 pounds

Wide Receiver

2020 Projection: Likely redshirt

Once again, we have a winner in Maxwell. He was a three-year starter at quarterback for East Central, and in 2017 as a sophomore he was the starting quarterback as East Central won its second ever state championship and first since 1994. East Central was 12-3 that year and defeated Lowell 14-7 in the Class 4A title game. He only completed 53 of 89 passes for 607 yards and 4 TDs headed into the title game that year, but he rushed for 989 yards and 19 TDs in a very run heavy offense. They averaged almost 259 yards per game on the ground to just 72 yards through the air. In the state title game he ran for 94 yards and the game-winning score with 2:02 left while going 6 of 11 for 65 yards and a passing TD.

Here is what his hometown paper had to say about him:

On the football field, Maxwell will go down as one of the all-time greats in East Central history. Over his four years at EC, Maxwell helped his team to four sectional championships, three regional titles, two semi-state wins, one state runner-up and a state championship in 2017.

Maxwell’s touchdown with 2:02 left in the fourth quarter of the state championship game turned out to be the game-winning TD as the Trojans pulled off the 14-7 upset of top-ranked and undefeated Lowell. It was the first time East Central had won the state title since 1994.

Individually, Maxwell’s stats speak for themselves. His career totals include 2,563 passing yards, 3,692 rushing yards and 90 total touchdowns.

His team was undefeated last season before losing 17-14 to Mooresville in the sectional final. It looks as if Maxwell will be shifting to receiver this year, but he can do stuff when he gets the ball in his hands. He also played basketball for East Central.