Advertisement
football Edit

Brendan Cropsey will chase his dream to be a Big Ten punter at Purdue

The chance to punt for a Big Ten school is a dream come true for Brendan Cropsey.
The chance to punt for a Big Ten school is a dream come true for Brendan Cropsey.

MORE 2020 WALK-ONS: QB Jack Albers | LB Hayden Ellinger | LB Zac Tuinei | OL Gus German | QB Andrew Hobson | K Edward Dellinger | RB Caleb Lahey | RB Marquis Munoz | K Caleb Krockover | WR Daniel Roach

The chance to study engineering and punt for a Big Ten school was too good of an opportunity for Brendan Cropsey to pass up. So, when Purdue offered the chance to be a preferred walk-on in Febraury, the Saline (Mich.) High product took it.

When he arrives in the fall, Cropsey will join a Boilermaker punting unit that includes sophomore Brooks Cormier and junior Zac Collins.

"I was pretty unrecruited as a senior," said Cropsey. "When I was applying to colleges, me and my family came to Purdue a few times because I want to be an engineer. Purdue has an amazing engineering school. We loved West Lafayette. A month or so later, a Purdue coach reached out to me. We talked, they looked at my film and offered me a spot. It is a perfect fit for me athletically and academically. We are super excited."

Kicking for a standout Saline High program that plays in Michigan's largest class, the 6-0, 180-pound Cropsey didn't have a lot of opportunities to punt in 2019. He hit five of six field-goal attempts, including a game-winning 43-yarder, and made 52-of-55 extra points with four punts inside the 20-yard line.

Cropsey was all-conference as a kicker and punter this season, honorable mention all-state and named to the Mlive.com Dream Team for the Ann Arbor area.

"I am more of a big-leg guy," said Cropsey. "I can punt long or punt with touch. For most punters, you have to be able to do both."

Advertisement

Cropsey has worked at the Hammer Kicking Academy with Adam Tanalski and with other coaches to hone his skills.

"(Tanalski) has a camp in Florida called the Top 40 camp," said Cropsey. "The top 40 kickers and punters go down there and compete for a week. You chart your week. I was in a three-way tie for 11th, just outside the Top 10. I placed pretty well. I have gone to other camps and worked with some people locally."

Cropsey had a chance to walk on at Buffalo, but the total package that Purdue offered was too much to pass up.

"I likely would have gotten a scholarship in the first year at Buffalo," said Cropsey. "I visited a while back. They were great, but I didn’t find an academic match. When Purdue stepped in, it was a dream come true. Big Ten football has always been a dream of mine to play. I can do that and have the best of the best in engineering. I couldn’t say 'no.' "

Membership Info: Sign up for GoldandBlack.com now | Why join? | Questions?

Follow GoldandBlack.com: Twitter | Facebook | YouTube

More: Gold and Black Illustrated/Gold and Black Express | Subscribe to our podcast

Copyright, Boilers, Inc. 2020. All Rights Reserved. Reproducing or using editorial or graphical content, in whole or in part, without permission, is strictly prohibited.

Advertisement