GoldandBlack.com's 20-year Purdue player draft: Pick No. 71
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 10 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.
Charters finishes his defense ...
Draft ticker: Nos. 1-70
Brandon King made one of the best plays ever by a Purdue cornerback.
In 2009, the defensive back collected two third-quarter interceptions in the upset win over No. 7 Ohio State, including one of the most athletic moves by a former Boilermaker in the last 20 years. On the second pick of Terrelle Pryor, King jumped a route on the left sideline, diving in front of the intended receiver, setting up a touchdown that gave the Boilermakers a 23-7 lead. Purdue held on for a 26-18 victory, probably the biggest Purdue win of the last decade.
King, a 5-foot-11, 190-pounder, was a solid DB for years for the Boilermakers, playing mainly safety his first couple seasons before flipping over to cornerback. And it's there that he was at his best.
As a senior he had 30 tackles, plus a couple breakups, but it was in his playmaking ability that he shined. He had three interceptions in 2009, including the two vs. OSU, plus recovered and forced a fumble. He played big in big games, like he '08 interception vs. Oregon and his '07 vs. the Buckeyes.
King was a tenacious defender, physical in the run game and willing to mix it up with bigger receiver in the pass. And he's a good fit for my defense, which now has 11 starters, because of it. He gives me flexibility too, in the chance — and I probably will — I pick up another DB; King can easily slide to nickel.
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