Purdue has now wrapped up its first full week of fall camp, and five practices in, a few things are already coming into focus in West Lafayette. The Boilermakers are getting closer to their Sept. 4 season opener against Indiana State, and the early work has offered a clearer look at where the roster feels settled - and where the competition is still wide open.
One of the biggest developments is along the offensive line, where Josh Henson says three spots are still up for grabs. That was a little more fluid than it looked from the outside entering camp, even if left tackle Joey Tanona and center Boaz Stanley appear to have the cleanest path to starting jobs. Tanona was a steady starter last season, while Stanley brings plenty of experience from his time at South Carolina and Troy, having started 21 of his last 24 games.
What stands out is how much more seasoned and deeper Purdue looks up front than it did a year ago. At the same time, the fact that three jobs are still being sorted out keeps this group interesting. For a unit that matters this much to the season, those battles in the trenches are going to draw plenty of attention.
The secondary is another area where Purdue feels noticeably different. Defensive backs coach Charles Clark said Tuesday that he has six or seven players who can handle multiple spots, which gives the Boilermakers the flexibility to rotate and mix personnel in a way they didn’t always have before. Hudauri Hines and Smiley Bradford are back, but Purdue also attacked the portal hard to reshape the group, adding Jaden Mangham from Michigan, Mister Clark from FIU, John Slaughter from Colorado, Don Saunders from Utah and Justin Denson Jr. from Michigan State, among others.
The result, at least on paper, is a unit with more length and more playmaking ability than Purdue had last fall. The one question still hanging over that group is speed, especially when stacked against the rest of the Big Ten. That was an issue for the Boilermakers in 2025, and it remains something to watch.
Quarterback is much more straightforward at the top of the depth chart. Ryan Browne is set to start for the second straight season, giving Purdue a steady hand under center. Barry Odom has been confident in the junior’s ability to lead the offense.
The backup spot is a different story. Odom’s answer when asked about it was blunt: "I don't know ... we have a lot of work to do."
Bennett Meredith, Evans Chuba, Garyt Odom and Corin Berry are all in the mix, and the upcoming scrimmage this weekend may help sort things out. For now, though, Purdue still doesn’t have a clear No. 2 quarterback.
Tight end took a hit when Odom revealed that UCF transfer Kylan Fox suffered a knee injury that will likely keep him out for the entire 2026 season. That’s a major setback for a room that was counting on him to contribute right away behind George Burhenn, who has battled multiple injuries over the last two seasons.
With Fox out, Purdue needs someone else in that group to emerge and take on a bigger role. Luca Puccinelli is the only other tight end on the roster with game experience, after appearing in three games in 2025. The Boilermakers also have returners Jon Grimmett, Luke Shorter and Jackson Berryman, along with freshmen Ar'Mari Towns and Cooper McCutchan.
That leaves the door open for one of those players to make a move in camp and give Purdue another viable option at tight end.
On the defensive side, the message from coaches and players has been consistent: Purdue wants to play more aggressively. The goal is to pressure quarterbacks, create turnovers and give the offense more chances.
There are pieces in place to make that possible. CJ Madden, Elo Modozie, Keyshawn Burgos, Breeon Ishmail, Trey Smith and Jeremy Lewis give the Boilermakers a solid group of edge rushers, while the upgraded secondary should help them capitalize when the pass rush starts to squeeze things. Purdue may give up a few big plays along the way, but the tradeoff is a defense that looks built to hunt the ball more often.
In Other News...
Purdue's 2027 Commits Are Already Facing A Massive Standard
Purdues 2027 class already comes with a familiar kind of pressure for a program that has spent years setting a demanding standard at the high end of the Big Ten. The Boilermakers have commitments from two four-star prospects in center Isaiah Hill and point guard Kevin Savage III, and both bring the kind of talent that can shape a class before either player ever sets foot on campus. Their early profiles point to a frontcourt anchor and a lead guard with the tools to fit Purdues style, which is exactly the sort of foundation the staff wants to keep stacking.
Former Purdue player Rapheal Davis helped underscore why the excitement around both recruits has already started to build, praising their upside in a way that naturally invites big expectations. The rest, of course, depends on what the roster looks like by the time they arrive and how each prospect develops once the grind begins, but the early message is clear enough: Purdue is not simply recruiting future depth, it is collecting pieces that could eventually be asked to carry real weight. [Read more 🡒]