JUCO cornerback Botros Alisandro commits to Purdue
Purdue continued its overhaul of the secondary under new head coach Ryan Walters on Friday as JUCO cornerback Botros Alisandro announced his commitment to the Boilermakers via Twitter.
"I've been through a lot of hardship, and I'm gonna come here to work," Alisandro told Boiler Upload. "I'm not coming here to settle. I'm coming to be one of the best."
Alisandro comes to West Lafayette from Snow College, a JUCO school in Ephraim, Utah. He played one year with the Badgers following a stint at ASA Brooklyn out of high school.
The New Hampshire native went to ASA Brooklyn after being a part of the 2021 recruiting class but never appeared in a game as the Avengers canceled the 2020 and 2021 seasons due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The JUCO defensive back reported other offers from Rhode Island, Prairie View A&M, Long Island, and Central Connecticut State before committing to Purdue.
Despite being under-recruited on two separate occasions, Alisandro stayed the course and now plays with a massive chip on his shoulder.
"I felt like I should have been highly recruited, but I mean, everything happens for a reason. So, I can't even be upset over that, but there's definitely a chip on my shoulder," Alisandro said.
A connection with another recent defensive back commit helped bring Alisandro to West Lafayette. Marquis Wilson, who just transferred to Purdue from Penn State, had worked out with Alisandro at Supreme Athlete Connecticut. Wilson told Purdue cornerbacks coach Sam Carter about the New Hampshire native, and Carter quickly got to work.
Alisandro shared that he was followed by the Purdue coaches on Twitter early last week and joined a group FaceTime with Carter, Ryan Walters and several other Boilermaker coaches the next day.
By Sunday, Carter was on a plane headed for central Utah to see Alisandro in spring workouts at Snow College. After watching him practice and sitting in on meetings, Carter offered the JUCO cornerback. That pursuit and instant connection with Carter went a long way for Alisandro.
"My first time meeting him, I felt like he wasn't even a coach. I felt more of like a mentor type of relationship from him," Alisandro said of his future position coach.
Shortly after Carter's trip to Utah, Alisandro returned the favor and came to West Lafayette for an official visit. A day after returning to Utah from the visit, he made things official by committing to the Boilermakers.
Alisandro is set to join the revamped Purdue secondary room in 2023. The JUCO newcomer becomes the fourth defensive back to transfer into the program this off-season, joining Salim Turner-Muhammad, Anthony Brown, and Marquis Wilson.
The 6'1", 185-pound cornerback shows off his instincts in coverage, making plays on the ball. Alisandro also has the ability to come down in the box and make big hits in the run game. The newest Boilermaker will likely be a reserve during his first year on campus.