GoldandBlack.com's 20-year Purdue player draft: Pick No. 45
To help commemorate the 20-year anniversary of Purdue's magical turnaround 1997 season, GoldandBlack.com's staff will break up the rosters and select the best players to wear a Boilermaker uniform since Coach Joe Tiller's first season on the sidelines.
GoldandBlack.com's 20-year Purdue player draft will have 100 players chosen — two picks each weekday over weeks. Boilermakers who were on Purdue rosters between 1997-2017 are eligible for selection. The draft order is Alan Karpick, Stacy Clardie, Kyle Charters and Brian Neubert.
Karpick adds another piece to his versatile, dominant squad with his first pick in the 12th round ...
Draft ticker: No. 1-45
Keith Smith did just about everything at Purdue.
He came to Purdue as a quarterback, with Coach Joe Tiller and staff knowing full well they would find another position for the Fort Hood, Texas, native. As a true freshman in 2006, Smith moved from offense to defense and appeared in 11 games as a safety after injuries to Torri Williams and Aaron Lane depleted the defense. The following year, the offensive staff decided it needed his service and he redshirted before catching 49 balls as a sophomore in '08, most from Curtis Painter.
But in 2009, it was Smith's breakout year. He earned first-team All-Big Ten status by leading the league in receptions (91) and receiving yards (1,100) with quarterback Joey Elliott at the helm. He was the Boilermakers' go-to guy on a team that probably should have won more than five games in Coach Danny Hope's first season as head coach.
I have built this team on athletic players with versatility, and Smith qualifies. Had his Purdue career not ended with an ACL/MCL injury in the season opener against Western Illinois in 2010, who knows what kind of pro career Smith might have had? He just couldn't recover from the injury in time to make a significant impact for the 2011 draft.
Still, I like his size and athleticism, especially for a possession receiver. And with Drew Brees throwing him the ball, and Smith's quarterback knowledge of the game, I also like my chances at converting on third down early and often.
Membership Info: Sign up for GoldandBlack.com now | Why join? | Questions?
Follow GoldandBlack.com: Twitter | Facebook
More: Gold and Black Illustrated/Gold and Black Express | Subscribe to our podcast
Copyright, Boilers, Inc. 2017. All Rights Reserved. Reproducing or using editorial or graphical content, in whole or in part, without permission, is strictly prohibited.