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Published Dec 19, 2017
Most of Purdue's 2018 recruiting class will sign Wednesday
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Brian Neubert  •  BoilerUpload
GoldandBlack.com staff
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@brianneubert

This is new.

National signing day as it's been known for generations is still a month-and-a-half away, yet most college programs will sign many, or most, of their recruits today, or in the two days that follow, as part of college football's new early signing period.

At Purdue, Jeff Brohm will sign what will be nearly the entirety of his first full class with the program, likely 22 players, barring any last-second additions or subtractions.

The Boilermaker coaching staff is awaiting word from heralded wide receiver Rondale Moore, who decommitted from Texas Tuesday two days removed from his official visit to Purdue, but he will not sign 'til February, with an announcement planned for Jan. 6 at the nationally televised U.S. Army All-America Game in San Antonio.

Additionally, Purdue offered this past weekend wide receiver Austin Alexander, who could remain a possibility.

But Purdue will sign almost all its recruits Wednesday.

Two exceptions: Defensive end Willie Lane isn't expected to sign right away nor is junior college linebacker Evander Craft.

Here's a look at the players who will.

Purdue's staff's reputation is for knowing quarterbacks and with that in mind, it should speak volumes about Plummer that he was the player targeted to be the first QB recruited by Jeff and Brian Brohm to sign on.

MID-YEAR ENROLEE

Purdue's first commitment toward a robust group of wide receivers that may be needed to help immediately, Bonner has very good size and is considered a potential downfield threat.

One of Purdue's highest-priority targets at a key position, Anderson flipped from an early commitment to Rutgers during the season and will be on campus at Purdue in a matter of weeks, which will be invaluable as he seeks early playing time.

MID-YEAR ENROLEE

With late-season hero Anthony Mahoungou departing, Purdue needed size at wide receiver and became enamored late in the process with Taylor, who chose the Boilermakers over numerous other Power 5 opportunities.

It was an eventful recruiting cycle for Purdue at running back. At one time, it seemed on the verge of a third commitment at the position, before it parted ways with a few recruits. It was zeroed in, though, lately on a player it would seem to consider a steal from a loaded recruiting territory in the Atlanta area.

Purdue needed a tight end in this class and more specifically needed one equipped for the more physical portions of the position. Durham was the target down the stretch and he committed on his official visit this past weekend, over Missouri and Duke.

The Louisville offensive lineman projects as a guard or center. Purdue seemed to like his athleticism for the interior line.

Purdue's staff knew of Bramel from its time at Western Kentucky and wasted no time offering him once it arrived in West Lafayette. His height and frame are ideal for offensive tackle, and he's not as narrow as most athletic tackles might be.

Brohm will trade bulk for mobility at offensive tackle. That's the case with Miller, who's long, tall, light on his feet and athletic. His listing at 6-foot-6 might be short-changing him. But strength will be an emphasis at the next level.

Much of the same of Miller applies to McKenna, who was very highly recruited, fielding offers from Michigan State, Pittsburgh and others before committing to Purdue in the summer. He's known to be a very good athlete on the edge with up-side to develop physically.

Cravaack was recruited to play either defensive end or tight end, highlighting his versatility, but will play defense. His physique is such that his physical development could go a lot of different ways, whether it for defensive end or tight end short-term or maybe something else long-term.

The late addition to the class is listed mostly as a defensive end, but his power suggests a move to defensive tackle is conceivable. Purdue offered him early, stayed with him all year and walked away from other quality defensive linemen to take him. He'll enroll in coming weeks.

MID-YEAR ENROLLEE

Physically, the Alabama lineman is a grown man. He smashes the eye-ball test more than he passes it. Again, a defensive end who looks like a college player now.

Another big eye-ball test prospect, the Indianapolis native certainly looks the part of a Big Ten defensive end. Where his body takes him in time remains to be seen.

The former Northern Illinois commitment is another big body and versatile player who'll start out as a defensive end. He's a big edge-setting sort of end short-term, but ran through a lot of offensive tackles as a high school pass-rusher.

One of Purdue's earliest commitments, the Fort Wayne defensive tackle is a 300-pounder who's surprisingly quick and explosive, with strength and consistent effort being emphases moving forward.

Likely to be Purdue's lone linebacker signee Wednesday, Alexander possesses linebacker size, a pass-rusher's quickness and overall athleticism enough to be a really good high school wide receiver at 6-1, 220-plus pounds.

Purdue's first in-state commitment for this class, the Ben Davis DB is well-developed physically and versatile enough to play safety or corner, safety being his likely starting point.

If there was a longer, taller true cornerback recruit in the 2018 class, there certainly weren't many. Perkins is a long-limbed DB who is surprisingly fluid as an athlete, turning and running, for being as tall as he is.

Recruited for safety, Smith fits the bill for the sort of physical readiness Purdue coveted in this class. He's well developed physically and strong.

If there was a longer, taller true safety recruit in the 2018 class, there certainly weren't many. Trice is all of 6-4, with speed enough to cover a lot of ground in the secondary and agility enough to be an outstanding punt returner and playmaker in high school. He scored touchdowns of one kind or another every week, seemed like, this fall.

Rucker is a true cornerback who, again, brings size and physical readiness to a position where Purdue could use help right away. This is a critical year for Purdue to reload, and transform, its secondary and it recruited accordingly.

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