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To say the season hasn’t started as Purdue had hoped is an understatement. But, that doesn’t mean there haven’t been some surprises. Coming off an off week, now is a good time to identify the five biggest surprise players thus far in 2019:
WR Amad Anderson, Jr. The redshirt freshman gave us a peek at what was to come during spring football. The Staten Island, N.Y., native arguably was Purdue’s best offensive player. Perhaps he felt a sense of urgency with the pending arrival of a touted foursome of receivers. Whatever it was, the willowy Anderson has delivered on his promise. Yes, he’s just 5-11, 175 pounds, but Anderson is tough and fearless. He’s tied for second on the team with 13 catches for 167 yards, making his first career touchdown catch vs. TCU—a 54-yarder.
DE Derrick Barnes. He made the move from linebacker to “Leo” before the Music City Bowl. And the junior has adapted well. Barnes is No. 2 on the team in tackles with 18 and also has 1.5 TFLs and 1.5 sacks. And Barnes is second on the team in tackles and pressures. Bottom line: He and George Karlaftis are a formidable tandem off the edge, helping amp up a pass rush that had grown stale in 2018.
K J.D. Dellinger. His offseason work has paid off. The junior redshirted last season, biding his time behind Baylor transfer Spencer Evans. Dellinger worked on his leg strength, and it has shown. Fourteen of 16 kickoff have resulted in touchbacks. And Dellinger has nailed three-of-four field-goal attempts, including a career-long 54-yarder vs. TCU. He looks like he’ll be a real weapon this season—and maybe one of the better kickers in the Big Ten.
DE George Karlaftis. We knew all about the four-star hype and Alabama/Michigan/OhioState offers. And we saw the potential in March after he graduated West Lafayette High School early and took part in spring drills. Still, few could have envisioned Karlaftis being Purdue’s best defensive player this soon—and a case certainly can be made for No. 5. Entering last weekend, the true freshman paced the nation with 21 quarterback pressures, according to PFF. Want more? Karlaftis is fifth on team with 14 tackles and paces the club with 3.5 TFLs. He also has 1.5 sacks and an interception. He’s only just begun.
CB Dedrick Mackey. He got his feet wet last season as a redshirt freshman. Now, Mackey is settling in as solid cornerback. The sophomore is fourth on the squad in tackles with 15 and leads the club with three passes broken up and four passes defended. Mackey has been targeted a team-high 27 times, allowing just 14 completions (51.9 percent) all while playing more snaps (245) than any other Purdue defender. He forms a nice cornerback duo with fellow sophomore Kenneth Major, who also is having a solid season.
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