59 Days to Purdue Football: Vince Carpenter

Vince Carpenter - RS Freshman

Monmouth Beach, NJ (Red Bank High School)

6’5”, 285 pounds

Offensive Line

2023 Projection: Reserve

Carpenter, a 3* member of Purdue’s 2022 recruiting class, spent last year eating, lifting and watching as a red shirt freshman. This year could be more interesting for Vince. I follow Purdue football about as closely as you can without actually having an office on campus and I have no idea what the offensive line depth chart looks like heading into the spring. I’ve got Hartwig, Mbow, and Moussaa penciled in at starter, and I’m pretty sure Hartwig is going to play center and that’s all I’ve got.

I would be shocked if Vince finds his name on the top line of the right tackle depth chart, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him either second or third in line. He’s a tall, athletic dude that can move in space, and that’s what Coach Harrell and Johnson need on this line. If anything Vince has somewhat of an advantage because at 285, he’s still at a good weight. In some offenses, he would need another 15 pounds before getting a sniff at tackle, but this offense prioritizes athletic ability over sheer size. Harrell asks his lineman to block in space and hunt down linebackers and safety in the screen game, and that’s the strength of Vince’s game.

Athleticism is second nature for Vince because his family tree is laden with elite athletes. His grandfather played in the Yankees organization. Both his parents played basketball at Hofstra. His uncle Mike played on the offensive line at Houston and his uncle John played at Stanford. Vince survived backyard football games growing up in his family, and that’s all I need to know about his toughness. He’ll need that toughness in the fall as he tries to carve out his spot in the offensive line rotation.