Micah Banuelos comes to Purdue as one of the more notable portal additions tied to the Boilermakers’ 2026 offensive line plans.
The 6-foot-3, 310-pound guard from Burien, Washington, arrives after three seasons at USC and still has two seasons of eligibility left. A 2023 recruiting class member out of Kennedy Catholic, Banuelos was rated a three-star prospect with an 89.1 score, ranked No. 417 nationally and No. 30 at his position.
Purdue’s staff already knows what it’s getting. Offensive coordinator Josh Henson and offensive line coach Zach Crabtree were part of the USC staff that helped land Banuelos in the first place, and the article describes him as a major recruiting win for them back in 2023. He was viewed as one of the better offensive line prospects on the West Coast, and now those same coaches get another shot to put him in the role they had in mind.
Banuelos’ 2025 season at USC was supposed to be the year he locked down a starting job on the interior. Instead, he split time between both guard spots and finished with five starts. That leaves him heading into 2026 with another opportunity to break through, this time in Purdue’s system.
There’s also been some talk about his size, with the source noting that he was seen as a little short for the position. But at 310 pounds, Banuelos brings plenty of mass, and Purdue appears ready to use him where it matters most. He has the inside track to start at right guard and should at minimum be a key part of the Boilermakers’ guard rotation in 2026.