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Today we feature a player that will very likely be a key cog in the offense after a couple of solid seasons.
Payne Durham - Jr.
Suwanee, GA (Peachtree Ridge HS)
6’5”, 255 pounds
Tight End
2021 Projection: Starter
So far, Durham has been solid for Purdue. As a redshirt freshman in 2019 he lined up behind Brycen Hopkins, an NFL Draft pick, and he still racked up stats as a target in the red zone. He had only nine receptions for 82 yards, but four of those catches went for touchdowns. This was after only catching five TDs total in high school.
Last year he was even better in the abbreviated season. Hs caught 16 passes for 166 yards for 4 3 touchdowns, including the game winning TD at Minnesota and was robbed of the game-winning TD at Minnesota in an egregiously bad call.
He enters the 2021 season as Purdue’s entrenched starter at tight end and a definite offensive weapon. He has the size to be a nightmare in the red zone and in short yardage situations and can be a good blocker too. He should be a major factor on offense.