Purdue has landed its fourth Class of 2021 commitment, this one being Kentucky linebacker Tristan Cox.
The Boilermakers targeted the 6-foot-3, 240-or-so-pounder from Pulaski County High School from the outset of the '21 recruiting cycle. He ultimately chose the Boilermakers over West Virginia, as well as additional reported offers from Cincinnati, Louisville, Vanderbilt, Kentucky and others.
"I just felt like I'd fit in really well with the Big Ten," Cox said. "Ever since I took my last junior day (visit) there, my heart's been headed there. I just finally decided I wanted to pull the trigger on where I wanted to go, and it's been Purdue ever since that last junior day."
Continue reading below
That visit occurred in early March, shortly before visits ceased.
That played a role in Cox's timing, too.
"I did it a little earlier than I expected," Cox said. "This coronavirus eliminated a lot of these other visits I had planned and everything. Why wait?"
This is a critical class for Purdue at linebacker, as the Boilermakers are presently thin at the position, but also transitioning to more 3-4-compatible personnel under new coordinator Bob Diaco.
Cox is an inside linebacker sort of body type and plays the position for his high school, but Purdue, he said, he recruited him with one of its outside linebacker positions in mind, because of his ability to transition between playing a defensive end sort of role in a 4-3 or as a stand-up linebacker/edge-rusher in a 3-4.
"They think I'm very athletic and they like my speed and the fact I have a lot of length to me," Cox said.
Cox is athletic enough to have fielded some recruiting interest from Kentucky and Louisville for potential offensive roles. West Virginia recruited him as a defensive end.
He expects to graduate high school mid-year and enroll at Purdue at the semester break.
He joins offensive lineman Jaelin Alstott-VandeVanter, wide receiver Preston Terrell and cornerback Brandon Calloway as part of Purdue's 2021 haul to date.
Membership Info: Sign up for GoldandBlack.com now | Why join? | Questions?
Follow GoldandBlack.com: Twitter | Facebook | YouTube
More: Gold and Black Illustrated/Gold and Black Express | Subscribe to our podcast
Copyright, Boilers, Inc. 2020. All Rights Reserved. Reproducing or using editorial or graphical content, in whole or in part, without permission, is strictly prohibited.
