Purdue football roster news: outgoing, incoming players

WEST LAFAYETTE − There's been a lot of movement in the college football transfer portal.

Not surprisingly, several Purdue Boilermakers entered the portal, commonplace after a coaching change.

The transfer portal has been kind to new coach Ryan Walters in regards to quarterbacks but also has stripped Purdue of some of its most relied upon veterans.

MORE:Inside Purdue football's 2023 early period signing class

Additionally, several Boilers are potential picks in April's NFL draft.

Here's a look at both those NFL draft prospects and the transfer portal in regards to Purdue.

New homes

In all, 13 known Purdue players entered the transfer portal.

Five of those have already committed elsewhere.

∎ Spencer Holstege, a three-year starting guard who was All-Big Ten honorable mention in 2020 and 2022. He's a big loss for the Boilermakers, not only because of his 6-foot-5, 310-pound frame. Holstege was a reliable cog on the offensive line, ranking among the best guards in the Big Ten at pass blocking. Holstege committed to UCLA on Dec. 18 with two years of eligibility remaining.

∎ Lawrence Johnson recorded 88 tackles and 2.5 sacks on the defensive line for Purdue over the past four seasons. In 2022, he had 29 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble and was instrumental in Purdue's win at Illinois with five stops. The product of Fort Wayne Snider High and 2022 All-Big Ten honorable mention committed to Auburn on Jan. 8 with one year of eligibility remaining.

∎ Jack Sullivan had his best season in 2022, recording 5.5 sacks off the end in addition to 38 tackles and a forced fumble, earning him All-Big Ten honorable mention. Sullivan had 86 tackles and 9.5 sacks in four seasons at Purdue. He committed to USC on Jan. 8.

∎ Branson Deen, an Indianapolis native from Lawrence Central, compiled nearly identical stats to his 2021 season with 28 tackles and 2.5 sacks a season after recording 26 tackles and three sacks in 2021. Deen was a two-time All-Big Ten honorable mention and finished with 73 tackles and 6.5 sacks in four years at Purdue. Deen committed to Miami (Florida) on Jan. 9 and has one year of eligibility remaining.

∎ Camdyn Childers has two years of eligibility remaining. He saw time late in one game in 2021 as a defensive back against Connecticut. Childers played in two games last season, recording two tackles against Wisconsin and one against LSU in the Citrus Bowl. The Fort Wayne Carroll product committed to Division II University of Findlay on Jan. 9.

∎ Chris VanEekeren, a kickoff specialist, announced on Dec. 23 he's entering the transfer portal as a graduate student with two years of eligibility left. VanEekeren booted 55 touchbacks the past two seasons, including 38 in 2022. He landed a full scholarship with Temple.

Quarterback carousel

Freshman Brady Allen put his name in the transfer portal prior to the Citrus Bowl, a decision that made sense after Texas transfer Hudson Card committed to Purdue on Dec. 26.

MORE:Purdue football adds Texas QB transfer Hudson Card

On Jan. 9, Allen, the 2021 Indiana Mr. Football winner after leading Gibson Southern to a Class 3A state championship, was reportedly returning to Purdue with four years of eligibility remaining.

One day later, Purdue quarterback Michael Alaimo, who threw his first career touchdown in the Citrus Bowl, announced he's entering the transfer portal. Alaimo was speculated to be entering the transfer portal once the Purdue football season concluded.

Card is likely penciled in as the 2023 opening-day starter and Allen obviously believes he can compete for the job as well. Also on the QB depth chart will be incoming freshman Ryan Browne, sixth-year senior Jack Albers, redshirt juniors Christian Gelov and Kyle Adams, along with sophomore Hayden Tomosciek.

Coming in

Aside from Card, the new Purdue staff has landed two former Arkansas Razorbacks to bolster next season's defense. Purdue also scooped up help on the offensive line.

∎ Isaiah Nichols, a defensive lineman and former starter at Arkansas, comes to Purdue with one season of eligibility remaining. He registered 78 career tackles for the Razorbacks with 2.5 sacks and one forced fumble.

∎ Anthony Brown adds to the secondary. He did not see the field at Arkansas, but comes to Purdue with four years of eligibility left.

∎ Jalen Grant has experience at left guard and center for Bowling Green. He primarily started at left guard last season after starting 10 games at center two seasons ago.

Also in the portal

In addition to the six Purdue portal entrees who've already committed somewhere next season - five plus Allen returning - eight others, including Alaimo, are currently still surveying their options.

∎ King Doerue began the 2022 season as Purdue's No. 1 running back. He had an injury-plagued career with the Boilermakers. In 32 career games, Doerue scored 13 touchdowns, including 10 on the ground, and rushed for 1,145 yards. He announced he's entering the transfer portal with two years remaining on Jan. 20.

∎ Kyle Bilodeau, a tight end with two career catches, did not play this past season. He announced he'll transfer as a graduate student with two years of eligibility remaining.

∎ Greg Hudgins III, a 6-foot-4 defensive tackle with one career tackle in four games during four seasons at Purdue, announced he's entered the transfer portal on Dec. 19. Hudgins currently has an offer from UNC-Charlotte.

∎ Running back Kobe Lewis, who came to Purdue from Central Michigan for the 2022 season, rushed for 146 yards on 43 carries and caught seven passes for 56 yards. Lewis also returned six kickoffs last season with a long of 31 yards. He's actively fielding offers from FBS programs.

∎ Rickey Smith, a linebacker turned cornerback who never saw action in a game at Purdue, said on Dec. 5 he is entering the transfer portal with five years of eligibility remaining.

∎ Hayden Ellinger, a Fort Wayne Dwenger product and former walk-on who did not play football in 2022, announced on Dec. 5 he is in the transfer portal. Ellinger's Twitter profile bio, however, reads Purdue football '24.

NFL draft watch

Purdue has five players from the 2022 roster who are potential NFL draft picks. Aside from 2019, Purdue has had at least one player selected in the NFL draft every year since 1998.

∎ Aidan O'Connell, the former walk-on turned three-year starting quarterback, has been invited to the East-West Shrine Bowl. He opted out of the Citrus Bowl, which soured some Boilermaker fans. O'Connell currently is projected to be a day three pick in multiple mock drafts.

∎ Charlie Jones, the former receiver and special teams star at Buffalo and Iowa before playing his final season at Purdue, might've put together the greatest single season in Boilermaker history for a receiver had he not opted out of the Citrus Bowl. Jones played through foot problems in 2022, per former Boilers coach Jeff Brohm. Jones is a Senior Bowl Invite and also has been invited to the NFL Combine. If selected, Jones is expected to be a late-round pick.

∎ Payne Durham, the surehanded tight end O'Connell looked to when he had to move the chains, has been invited to the NFL Combine, Senior Bowl and Shrine Bowl. Durham opted out of the Citrus Bowl. Mock drafts currently have Durham going anywhere from the fourth round to undrafted.

∎ Cory Trice, a cornerback, opted out of the Citrus Bowl to prepare for the NFL draft and has been invited to the NFL Combine and to compete in the Shrine Bowl. After tearing his ACL in 2021, Trice came back and showed he was back to his former self in 2022.

∎ Jalen Graham, a linebacker/safety hybrid, did not play in the Citrus Bowl and later announced he's declaring for the NFL draft. Graham bounced back from a midseason tibia injury.

∎ Reese Taylor, a cornerback who was Indiana's Mr. Football winner as a quarterback at Ben Davis in 2017, started his college career at Indiana. After four years with the Hoosiers, he transferred to Purdue and had 34 tackles, five pass breakups and one interception in one season with the Boilers.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue football roster news: outgoing, incoming players