Draft Scout Warning: Undefined variable $TeamName in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\notesteam.php on line 20 Player News, College Football: Warning: Undefined variable $TeamName in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\notesteam.php on line 20

Purdue will have one of its better defensive players available for the 2021 season after spending the last few weeks in limbo academically. The Journal & Courier has learned defensive end DaMarcus Mitchell will be eligible to play this season and is expected to be a starter opposite George Karlaftis in the Sept. 4 season opener against Oregon State at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mitchell plays the LEO position, a hybrid defensive end/linebacker, with an emphasis on putting pressure on the quarterback and making plays in the backfield.

The junior college transfer arrived at Purdue prior to last season and finished third in tackles (34) and recorded a team-high six tackles for loss, including one sack, while mainly playing linebacker. He filled in for Karlaftis, who suffered an injury and later tested positive for COVID-19. But now with both Karlaftis and Mitchell on the field at the same time along with first-year assistant Mark Hagen in charge, the Boilermakers have a chance to make strides on the defensive line. - Journal and Courier

(DS#79 DE) Sr/2022

DE DaMarcus Mitchell, Purdue
News Source: Journal and Courier
Share/Comment: Here

08/18/21 - Sampson James, rJr/2024, Purdue, 6-0, 220 (DS#999 RB) + More +

IU running back Sampson James has entered the transfer portal, IndyStar confirmed. The former Avon High School standout ran for 371 yards and 3 touchdowns over the last two seasons and was competing for playing time with Stephen Carr and Tim Baldwin. James was listed as the No. 2 running back on the Hoosiers' preseason depth chart. James was a four-star prospect coming out of Avon and committed to Ohio State but coach Tom Allen flipped him to IU in a recruiting coup. James also entered the transfer portal his freshman season but returned to the Hoosiers. James rushed for just 96 yards on 32 carries last season after a promising freshman season. - Indianapolis Star/News

(DS#999 RB) rJr/2024

RB Sampson James, Purdue
News Source: Indianapolis Star/News
Share/Comment: Here

08/15/21 - Semisi Fakasiieiki, rSr/2023, Purdue, 6-2, 230 (DS#999 OLB) + More +

Purdue projected starting middle linebacker Semisi Fakasiieiki suffered a right leg injury in Monday's practice and was immediately carted off the field. Once the team's athletic trainers reached Fakasiieiki on the field, they called for the cart. The Boilermakers, who wore shoulder pads for the first time, were running a short-yardage drill when the injury occurred. "They're going to take him over to the hospital and see exactly what's wrong with him," said co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Brad Lambert, who was scheduled to meet with the media before Fakasiieiki's injury.

"It's always tough, right? I tell the guys all the time - tomorrow is not guaranteed. He didn't show up today thinking this might be his last practice. I don't know if it is, (but) that's the mentality you've got to have. You have to play fast and take advantage of every opportunity to get better." Through the first three days of preseason camp, Fakasiieiki - who returned to the program to use his COVID-19 season - was making plays and standing out during drills while showcasing his leadership skills. - Journal and Courier

(DS#999 OLB) rSr/2023

OLB Semisi Fakasiieiki, Purdue
News Source: Journal and Courier
Share/Comment: Here

07/03/21 - Tyrone Tracy Jr., rSr/2024, Purdue, 5-11, 209 (DS#12 RB) + More +

Today, July 1, marks the first day where student-athletes can profit from their name, image and likeness. Wide receiver Tyrone Tracy Jr., a member of the Hawkeyes football team, has announced his first personal venture under the new NIL era. Tracy announced via his Twitter account that he has agreed to a partnership with Yoke Gaming, an app that allows people to play video games with notable athletes around the country and the world. Now, since the NIL changes, that includes collegiate athletes. - Iowa City Press-Citizen

(DS#12 RB) rSr/2024

RB Tyrone Tracy Jr., Purdue
News Source: Iowa City Press-Citizen
Share/Comment: Here

06/26/21 - Tyrone Tracy Jr., rSr/2024, Purdue, 5-11, 209 (DS#12 RB) + More +

Iowa wide receiver Tyrone Tracy Jr., knows he's been deprived of his rights as a U.S. citizen. He has nine allies in the U.S. Supreme Court. "Nowhere else in America can businesses get away with agreeing not to pay their workers a fair market rate on the theory that their product is defined by not paying their workers a fair market rate," Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote last week in the Court's unanimous opinion in antitrust case NCAA v. Alston. "And under ordinary principles of antitrust law, it is not evident why college sports should be any different.

Tracy is a junior who would do well for himself if he had NIL rights this year. He's a dynamic player who said in no uncertain terms Tuesday that he wanted to be the Big Ten's top receiver and Iowa's first 1,000-yard receiver in the last 10 years. He also knows the chance to make some money off his own name may be his before his college career is over. "The reason I'm on board is I feel in college, a lot of people's names are bigger than when they're out of college," Tracy said. "So I feel like if you can make money right now, you should be able to because your next step when you get out of college, you don't know what's going to happen." - The Gazette

(DS#12 RB) rSr/2024

RB Tyrone Tracy Jr., Purdue
News Source: The Gazette
Share/Comment: Here

06/16/21 - Chris Jefferson, rSr/2023, Purdue, 5-10, 206 (DS#76 SS) + More +

Just how motivated is Christopher Jefferson? Plenty. But it's all self-motivation since this is the path he's elected to travel, transferring to Purdue after spending three seasons at the University of Findlay (Ohio), a Division II program. The incoming safety announced his decision to transfer and join coach Jeff Brohm's program on Monday. He's scheduled to arrive in West Lafayette by Saturday, if not sooner. "I'm probably the most motivated I've been in my entire life," said Jefferson, who will have two years of eligibility with the Boilermakers "I'm probably my biggest critic. I probably fear failure more than anyone. "I'm not coming to Purdue to sit on the bench, I'm not coming to have the experience of playing in front of a large crowd. I'll come in with the same type of mentality as any other player, wanting to play, wanting to do good, wanting to create a legacy and build improvement for the program."

Free safety is the position Jefferson is currently earmarked for, but he also might see action at nickel and on special teams. He's coming to compete for a starting position, but the Boilermakers do return Cam Allen and Marvin Grant. Both, though, missed spring practice due to injuries. But the addition of Jefferson adds depth to a thin secondary. He brings solid credentials. Jefferson was named to The Associated Press DII All-America first team and earned Defensive Player of the Year honors in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference in back-to-back seasons. He appeared in 26 career games at Findlay, collecting 12 interceptions and breaking up 10 passes. In six games last season, Jefferson made 32 tackles. For his career, he totaled 110 tackles. - Journal and Courier

(DS#76 SS) rSr/2023

SS Chris Jefferson, Purdue
News Source: Journal and Courier
Share/Comment: Here

06/14/21 - Chris Jefferson, rSr/2023, Purdue, 5-10, 206 (DS#76 SS) + More +

Purdue added short-term and long-term help in the recruiting department Monday. Monday night, Christopher Jefferson - a safety at Division II Findlay in Ohio - announced he's transferring to joining coach Jeff Brohm's program. Earlier Monday, the Boilermakers added their second commitment to the 2022 recruiting class in the last three days when Texas defensive lineman Nic Caraway announced his pledge. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound Jefferson appeared in 26 career games at Findlay, collecting 12 interceptions and breaking up 10 passes. Jefferson was named to The Associated Press DII All-America team. In six games last season, Jefferson made32 tackles. For his career, he made 110 total tackles. Jefferson is the 10th player to transfer into Purdue's program, including junior college players and from the NCAA portal. - Journal and Courier

(DS#76 SS) rSr/2023

SS Chris Jefferson, Purdue
News Source: Journal and Courier
Share/Comment: Here

05/30/21 - Broc Thompson, rSr/2024, Purdue, 6-2, 190 (DS#999 WR) + More +

Last season, Broc Thompson changed his number at Marshall from 88 to 13 to honor his younger brother, Cade, a young promising receiver who was battling cancer. Broc Thompson is now changing his location to be closer to his family. Thompson announced Saturday he's transferring to Purdue to join coach Jeff Brohm's program. The 6-foot-2, 188-pound receiver from Indianapolis entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal on Friday. As a sophomore for the Thundering Herd, Thompson caught 14 passes for 228 yards last season. For his career, the Ben Davis graduate made 33 catches for 562 yards. He'll bring experience to the Boilermakers' receiving group, which features David Bell, Milton Wright, T.J. Sheffield, Jackson Anthrop and Mershawn Rice. Thompson is the ninth transfer to announce plans to join Purdue's program in the offseason. - Journal and Courier

(DS#999 WR) rSr/2024

WR Broc Thompson, Purdue
News Source: Journal and Courier
Share/Comment: Here

05/30/21 - Broc Thompson, rSr/2024, Purdue, 6-2, 190 (DS#999 WR) + More +

Marshall football lost its second wide receiver in two days to the NCAA transfer portal. On Friday, Thundering Herd sophomore wide receiver Broc Thompson announced his intentions to transfer on social media. "After much consideration, prayer and consultation with my family, I announce with a heavy heart that I will be entering into the transfer portal," Thompson said. "Thank you to all of the coaches, staff, and community of marshall for believing in me! The 75 will live forever in my heart! God Bless." Thompson and his family suffered through the toughest of years in 2020.

After going without football due to COVID-19 until summer conditioning, Thompson finally saw some light at the end of the tunnel as the Herd got back on campus in June in preparation for drills to start later in summer. In mid-July, though, his whole world changed as his little brother, Cade, was diagnosed with cancer. Thompson briefly left the team to be with family before returning for drills in August. When he returned, he donned the No. 13 in honor of Cade, who was a standout young receiver prospect at Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis. "He's better than I ever could be," Broc beamed of his brother in the 2019 season. - Charleston Gazette

(DS#999 WR) rSr/2024

WR Broc Thompson, Purdue
News Source: Charleston Gazette
Share/Comment: Here

05/07/21 - Mitchell Fineran, rSr/2023, Purdue, 5-10, 181 (DS#29 K) + More +

Mitchell Fineran's season at Samford ended April 22. Within days, the Georgia native put his name into the NCAA transfer portal "to see what kind of options I was going to get." It didn't take long for Purdue special teams coordinator Marty Biagi to notice Fineran's credentials. The payoff came Tuesday when Fineran announced he's joining coach Jeff Brohm's program as a graduate transfer. With the graduation of J.D. Dellinger, finding a consistent and reliable kicker became a priority during spring practice when the current group struggled. Whether Fineran becomes the No. 1 kicker remains to be seen but his numbers during three seasons at Samford were solid. Fineran converted 43 of 56 field goals (76.7%) and missed two extra points in 130 attempts. - Journal and Courier

(DS#29 K) rSr/2023

K Mitchell Fineran, Purdue
News Source: Journal and Courier
Share/Comment: Here

05/03/21 - Derrick Barnes, Sr/2021, Purdue, 6-0, 238 (DS#16 ILB) + More +

Since Derrick Barnes decided to forego another season at Purdue, his NFL Draft stock has been steadily climbing. That upward movement paid off Saturday as the talented linebacker was a fourth-round selection by the Detroit Lions. Barnes was the 113th selection overall. He'll join former Purdue quarterback David Blough on the Lions' roster. Detroit traded up to pick Barnes, giving the Lions back-to-back selections. With the 112th pick, Detroit selected Southern California receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. Barnes' versatility should lead to a productive NFL career. He started his time with the Boilermakers as a middle linebacker, earning his first start as a freshman against Wisconsin and stud running back Jonathan Taylor. Barnes, though, was moved to a defensive end spot midway through his sophomore season and remained through the 2019 season. - Journal and Courier

(DS#16 ILB) Sr/2021

ILB Derrick Barnes, Purdue
News Source: Journal and Courier
Share/Comment: Here

04/04/21 - Isaiah Nichols, rSr/2024, Purdue, 6-3, 300 (DS#999 DT) + More +

Second-year Arkansas coach Sam Pittman sees a lot of potential in Isaiah Nichols. He believes in the former Springdale High standout. That is why Pittman urged Nichols to step into a larger role on the Razorbacks' defensive line between the end of the 2020 season and this spring. More than that, he wants Nichols to lead. A redshirt junior, Nichols was up for the challenge and has shown as much through eight spring practices. "I've been working on that a lot, trying to bring guys with me," he said Thursday. "They see my work ethic. A lot of the guys work hard and we're a hard-working group, so I've been trying to be more vocal and telling Eric Gregory, (Taurean Carter), (Dorian Gerald), like, step up, stay stuff. "If you see something that's wrong, say something about it and encourage these guys." Nichols saw his playing time increase last fall, earning seven starts in nine games played. He had a half-sack at Auburn, finished the year with 24 tackles and made the first start of his career in the season opener against Georgia. - Northwest Arkansas Times

(DS#999 DT) rSr/2024

DT Isaiah Nichols, Purdue
News Source: Northwest Arkansas Times
Share/Comment: Here

03/16/21 - Mitchell Fineran, rSr/2023, Purdue, 5-10, 181 (DS#29 K) + More +

MARCH 15 SOUTHERN CONFERENCE SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Mitchell Fineran, Samford, Jr., PK, Fort Valley, Ga.,...Samford placekicker Mitchell Fineran accounted for 13 points in the Bulldogs' 37-31 win over No. 20 Wofford on Saturday, highlighted by a 3-for-3 day in field-goal tries. In addition to going 4-for-4 on point-after attempts, the junior from Fort Valley, Georgia, connected on field goals of 41, 40 and 35 yards. His 41-yarder in the second quarter tied the game at 17, while his second two came in the fourth quarter, putting Samford ahead 37-24. Fineran also handled kickoff duties for the Bulldogs, averaging 54.1 yards with four touchbacks on eight kicks. Other nominees: Ben Steele (The Citadel), Garrett Taylor (ETSU), Timmy Bleekrode (Furman), Jerry Rice (VMI), Paxton Robertson (Western Carolina) and Landon Parker (Wofford). - SoCon Football

(DS#29 K) rSr/2023

K Mitchell Fineran, Purdue
News Source: SoCon Football
Share/Comment: Here

03/14/21 - Jamari Brown, rSr/2024, Purdue, 6-1, 205 (DS#999 CB) + More +

Purdue added another piece to its thin secondary Thursday when former Kentucky defensive back Jamari Brown announced he was transferring to Jeff Brohm's program. The 6-foot-3, 201-pound Brown made his announcement on Twitter. Brown is the second defensive back to commit to the Boilermakers as a transfer. C.J. McWilliams, who played at Florida, is scheduled to join the program this summer as a graduate transfer. Overall, Brohm has added five transfers since the end of last season. Three newcomers - offensive lineman Tyler Witt (Western Kentucky), linebacker O.C. Brothers (Auburn) and defensive end Joseph Anderson (South Carolina) - are currently practicing this spring. Brown entered the NCAA transfer portal in February after playing in four games during the 2020 season. The native of Sunrise, Florida was hampered by a hamstring injury throughout the season. - Journal and Courier

(DS#999 CB) rSr/2024

CB Jamari Brown, Purdue
News Source: Journal and Courier
Share/Comment: Here

03/02/21 - Jamari Brown, rSr/2024, Purdue, 6-1, 205 (DS#999 CB) + More +

Jamari Brown started three games for the University of Kentucky in 2019, but his next start will be elsewhere. Brown, set to be a junior this fall at UK, has entered the transfer portal. If proposed NCAA legislation that calls for all first-time transfers to have immediate eligibility passes as expected before the next school year begins, Brown would have up to three years of playing eligibility remaining at his next school. Following a redshirt year, Brown started three games and played in 11 for the Wildcats in 2019, recording 25 tackles and seven pass break-ups, second on the team that season. A hamstring injury kept him off the field most of last season. - Herald Leader

(DS#999 CB) rSr/2024

CB Jamari Brown, Purdue
News Source: Herald Leader
Share/Comment: Here

Previous 15 Notes

|Back to Page One|

Next 15 Notes

Warning: Undefined array key "TeamID" in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\2020rightcolteam.php on line 56

Warning: Undefined array key "DSTeamID" in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\2020rightcolteam.php on line 57

Purdue Football Videos

Buy Draft Scout Weekly

** Draft Scout Data **
(Everything Online PLUS)

Support Draft Scout

The Database Engine for NFLDraftScout.com, Draft Scout is being repurposed...Support the Future Development of ScoutNation.com...

Draft Scout Archives

** 2010-2022 Draft Scout Archives **
(Yearly Player Data Exports, Prospect Lists & More)

Draft Scout Future

100% Dedicated and Never Done

80% Innovated

45% Hidden

35% Built

2024 CFB/2025-2028 NFL Draft Scout

2023 CFB/2024-2027 NFL Draft Scout

NFL Draft Scout History

2022 Draft Scout

Draft Scout by Conference

2023 Draft Scout Offense

2023 Draft Scout Defense

2022 Draft Scout Offense

2022 Draft Scout Defense

Purdue Football Videos

Buy Draft Scout Weekly

Support Draft Scout

Draft Scout Archives

Draft Scout Future

Synergization

Did You Know?

Hidden Designs

Future Development