More: Purdue 2017 recruiting targets

More ($): Who will Purdue be watching?

The next two weekends, Purdue's coaches and their counterparts all across the country will go on the road for the April evaluation weekends.

Matt Painter and his staff will have their focus set on rising seniors and a 2017 class that might be pivotal to the program's future direction.

It might, in effect, represent the Boilermakers' next core.

Currently, Purdue is set to be a junior-dominated team, both in numbers and influence, as Vince Edwards (assuming he returns after exploring his NBA options this spring), Isaac Haas, Dakota Mathias and P.J. Thompson figure not only to be some of Purdue's best players and leaders but also presences who'll occupy big minutes the next two seasons.

The 2017 class would be coming in when those players are slated to be seniors.

It should also be noted that Purdue has two players standing in the NBA early-entry pool in Edwards and sophomore-to-be Caleb Swanigan and another, Haas, who could be an attractive pro commodity one day, so there may not be many certainties at this point about who'll be on Purdue's roster down the line.

Purdue has needs, and the projected space to fill them.

For one thing, 2017 is to be a big class.

As of this moment, Purdue has four scholarships slated to be free for the 2017-18 season, though that number is very much a moving target.

Any multi-year recruit Purdue adds this spring would cut into that available space, which will make Painter exercise due diligence to its fullest extent on any such prospect this spring.

Single-season transfers are irrelevant to the 2017 class, but Purdue has been or will be active in the high school, junior college and multi-year transfers markets, as well.

"There's a lot of guys out there, talking to a lot of guys and weighing where we are, but also keeping in mind the 2017 guys," Painter said of his program's spring recruiting outlook. "It's hard because if you ideally get who you want (later) you have to make sure you've planned for it. But you also can't predict who you're going to get. You might feel good about things and sometimes that's a good sign and sometimes that's the kiss of death."

One of the biggest draws in recruiting is opportunity and Purdue stands to need to sign several players it'll need to impact its program quickly.

"I think it's a really important class, because we do have that big junior class," Painter said. "It really helps us because that big class we have here, they're going to be seniors when those guys would be freshmen and it would be a perfect transition for our program."

With any large class, there is no one singular need that really trumps all others, but with the eventual end of Haas' and Swanigan's runways at Purdue needing to be considered, Purdue has to restock its frontcourt.

That's been an emphasis in its years-long pursuit of in-state big men Jaren Jackson Jr. and Malik Williams, as well as Michigan post player Xavier Tillman. This might also be the class where Purdue has to replace the elements Edwards has brough to its frontcourt, and thus its interest in prospects like Indy blue-chipper Kris Wilkes and versatile Ohio forward/wing Kyle Young.

For a comprehensive look at Purdue 2017 targets and prospects, check out our HUGE Board.

More ($): Who will Purdue be watching?

Visit Bob Rohrman Subaru

Membership Information: Sign up for GoldandBlack.com now | Why join? | Questions?

Copyright, Boilers, Inc. 2016. All Rights Reserved. Reproducing or using editorial or graphical content, in whole or in part, without permission, is strictly prohibited