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DeAngelo Yancey believed the hype.

After starting five games as a true freshman and catching 32 passes for a team-high 546 yards, he didn't necessarily feel the need to work much during that offseason, felt like he'd arrived already in a sense. Teammates were frustrated — seeing a guy with so much potential rest on "success," instead of striving to have more of it.

So in Year 2, what happened is exactly what should have: Yancey bottomed out, even got benched by the of the year. He had 12 catches for the season.

Fortunately, instead of sending him into a tailspin and seeing another player with promise not live up to it, Yancey grew up.

And that produced two final seasons that were some of the better ones by a Purdue receiver in years, pushing him into the top-10 all-time in career yards and touchdowns and allowing him to leave West Lafayette with a sense of accomplishment.

But not just because of the numbers.

"How I've matured, I'm definitely proud of that," Yancey said earlier this week, taking time for an abbreviated Exit Interview after his pro day workout in Mollenkopf, one that opened eyes and likely gave him a boost in draft stock.