GoldandBlack.com Purdue player draft: Nos. 43, 44 overall

This summer, the Boilermakers are being divided.

Reporters Stacy Clardie and Kyle Charters are going head-to-head in GoldandBlack.com's Purdue player draft, a daily selection in which separate rosters of 25 are being assembled. In late July, we'll decide — based on GoldandBlack.com staff and member feedback — which team would win.

We're speeding up the final week of selections, doubling up to offer picks from Clardie and Charters each day before No. 50 on Friday. Next week, GoldandBlack.com staff and members will chime in on the finalized rosters.

Clardie takes No. 43 overall first today, followed by Charters' No. 44.

From the moment Evyn Cooper committed, I’ve been enamored by his 6-foot-2 frame for a defensive back. That length, that athleticism, that potential. Sure, I knew he maybe wouldn’t be a willing — at least initially — full-time participant on the defensive side. I knew he was holding out hope to get offensive touches. I knew he was going to maybe struggle as a young player to handle Taver Johnson’s firm coaching style. But, dang, those physical tools.

And they’re why I’m going outside-the-box here — especially, maybe for one of my starters — with Cooper.

Honestly, I’m not quite sure where Cooper is going to be slotted by training camp. In the spring, he played corner, nickel and even flirted with a brief move to safety — and ultimately still may end up there. I’m slipping him into the nickel spot for now, though it’d be easy to swap him and Hardy. I just may do that by final roster time. And, shoot, I could still draft another DB for flexibility at corner/nickel. We’ll see.

Cooper, admittedly, had a very taxing first year in college, from adjusting to the speed of the game, Johnson’s coaching, the full-time defensive role and, simply, growing up. He had a better attitude in the spring — I wouldn’t have taken a chance here on him otherwise; he genuinely seemed like he matured — and also appeared to take coaching better. He still has strides to make in terms of technique and executing exactly the way Johnson wants, but I keep coming back to those physical gifts. If Cooper “gets it," he could be special. It may not happen this year, but I’m taking a chance it could.

Part of my strategy in this draft was to fill up my front seven as quickly as possible, because Purdue, especially on the defensive line, doesn't have much depth.

Like, almost none.

Largely, I felt successful, grabbing who I thought were the best players on the line and at linebacker. But I couldn't get them all, leaving a pretty big void at nose tackle. The problem now? Figuring out who I should slide into that position.

Not easy. Of Purdue's returnees, Keiwan Jones might made the most sense, because the sophomore ended the spring as Purdue's No. 2 at nose. But Jones is undersized, only about 6-2, 282, and is coming off an ACL injury early last season. Plus, he had to battle walk-on Ryan DeBusk, who has practiced previously at end, for second-team snaps. Had Jones been the clear-cut No. 2, he would have seized the opportunity earlier. Maybe Langston Newton should be the choice, with the fifth-year senior Jake Replogle's backup at three technique, but inside physicality probably isn't his strength.

So — again — I'll go with the unknown, taking freshman Anthony Watts at No. 44. As of mid-summer, just before he reported to Purdue, the Texas native was 6-5, 296 pounds, big enough to eat up space on the inside. And I like that Watts says his greatest strength is his motor, that he'll continually get after it. In that position, right in the middle of everything, having a willingness to battle once, then again and again, is a must.

Stacy's Evyn Cooper pick? Man, didn't see that one. Agree that I like his potential — he passes the eye test — but he has a long ways to go still.

More: Draft ticker 1-40 | 41/42. Hardy, Logan

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