Former Purdue star Jake Replogle won't pursue NFL career
Former Purdue defensive lineman Jake Replogle announced Saturday that he will not pursue a career in the NFL, though he'd almost certainly have been drafted.
Replogle, who missed part of the season due to what was believed to be a head injury, issued the following written statement to GoldandBlack.com:
"It has been an honor to represent Purdue University these past four years. I am extremely thankful for the support of my family, teammates, coaches, fans and everyone in Purdue nation. As for my future, I've decided to pursue a career in business, putting my degree to good use and look to advance my education hopefully in the not too distant future. I will not be involved in the upcoming NFL draft. I will forever be thankful for the opportunities that football has provided me and am eager to apply the lessons that football has taught me going forward. Boiler up! Hail Purdue!"
Replogle wouldn't comment beyond the released statement.
During the season and even after it, Replogle never would specify what forced him to miss parts or all of five games in his senior season. He played every snap of Purdue's victory at Illinois but apparently suffered a head injury in that game and missed the next three before trying to return at Minnesota but not making it into the second half.
In late October, the only time he really talked about the injury publicly, he said he was dealing with "head issues, headaches and stuff." He also said he had "pressure" in his head.
"My head doesn’t feel right," he said then. "There’s not much you can do other than rest it. So obviously they’re not going to put me out there if it’s not feeling right. But they’re doing everything they can to help me."
Replogle returned to the field full time for the final two games of the season, senior day against Wisconsin and the regular-season finale against Indiana. In those two games, he had 15 tackles, including a whopping 5.5 for loss, in looking very much like the dominant player he'd built himself into over four years.
After the season, teammates voted him as the team's defensive MVP.
Asked at the postseason banquet if he was happy with the way he played when he was able to play in 2016, Replogle said yes.
"I think the one of the biggest things from being out was it made me understand that I just wanted to appreciate football more. Maybe sometimes I was too focused on playing the best every time. I never really took in the moment and how special it was to be playing in the Big Ten," he said. "But, yeah, I was happy with it. You can’t ask more than being out there with lifelong friends, playing next to Evan Panfil. Very happy with it."
Membership Information: Sign up for GoldandBlack.com now | Why join? | Questions?
Copyright, Boilers, Inc. 2016. All Rights Reserved. Reproducing or using editorial or graphical content, in whole or in part, without permission, is strictly prohibited.