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Brownsburg (Ind.) head coach breaks down Purdue commit Preston Terrell

MORE: Purdue lands Preston Terrell | Video: WR Preston Terrell |

Neubert: Thoughts on Terrell

Purdue got an early start on its 2021 recruiting class with the verbal commitment on Sunday from Brownsburg (Ind.) High wideout Preston Terrell. He is Purdue's first 2021 commit.

The 6-3, 186-pound prospect matriculated to Brownsburg from Columbus, Ind., after his sophomore season. Brownsburg--a north suburb of Indianapolis--is a 6A school that plays some of the top schools in the state. The Bulldogs run a balanced offense. Terrell plays a bit of defense as a "dime" back but focuses mostly on offense.

GoldandBlack.com spoke with John Hart, who is the head coach at Brownsburg High, to get the skinny on Terrell.

GoldandBlack.com: How would you describe Terrell?

Hart: I think he’s gonna be what Coach Brohm likes: a diversified athlete. He can do just about anything. He’s 6-3, 6-4. Runs exceptionally well, was a state-class high jumper his freshman and sophomore years. Athletically, he has a lot of good pieces. I would estimate (he runs the 40-yard dash) in the high 4.5s or mid-4.5s. He high jumps 6-4 or 6-5, in that area.

GoldandBlack.com: What does he do best as a receiver?

Hart: I think he’s a ball hawk. That’s usually a defensive term. He sees the ball and is able to high-point a ball and use his body. I would compare him a lot to David Bell, who is there now, in athleticism and in ability to go up and high-point a ball in a crowd or at full speed.

GoldandBlack.com: What does he need to improve?

Hart: Route running. That’s the thing, and understanding what a route does to a defense. He needs to refine that part of it for the next level. He is good at it on our level. You’ll see him get stronger and faster, and then get real acute on his routes.

GoldandBlack.com: How does your offense use him?

Hart: We put him in a lot of places, a lot like we did with Bryce Kirtz who is at Northwestern now. He has played the slot, the split. Everyone is gonna double-team him. We played Avon this past week, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen them double-team anybody. And they doubled him all over the place. So, we’ll have to work on some different concepts and stuff. We have another really good wide receiver in Luke Lacey who has had a really good start to the year. The combo of those two hopefully makes it tough for teams to defend us.

GoldandBlack.com: What type of season is Brownsburg having?

Hart: We are 2-2. We lost (38-17) to the No. 39 team in the country (St. Xavier, Ohio). We had the lead going into the fourth quarter. And we lost (7-3) to Avon, which is No. 1 in the state, in a close game. We are right there. We have a Division I quarterback and a Division I running back, so we have some pretty good pieces. Ben Easters is a junior quarterback who has verballed to Kansas and Donnie Marcus is the running back. He’s a senior who is going to Ball State. We have to get better in some areas and realize teams are gonna throw the kitchen sink at us. We have to react a little better than we did on Friday night.


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WR Preston Terrell matriculated from Columbus, Ind., to Brownsburg, Ind., after the 2018 season.
WR Preston Terrell matriculated from Columbus, Ind., to Brownsburg, Ind., after the 2018 season.

GoldandBlack.com: Why do you think Preston picked Purdue?

Hart: If you had said: "I have 100 offers, where would I want to go?" I think he would have said "Purdue" almost every single time. As time was going on and everyone was showing interest, we would have conversations and it never varied off much from: "Hey, I know where I want to go." So, then it was just about making the verbal and making sure Purdue was 100 percent on him. Sometimes, colleges can make offers and they are kind of lukewarm offers. Purdue doesn’t do that, as far as I know. Coach Brohm has always said when he makes an offer, it’s because that’s the guy we wants.

GoldandBlack.com: Did he consider any other schools?

Hart: He looked at other schools. But it's like when you first start dating. If you find someone you like right away, why keep dating? You might as well put a ring on it.

GoldandBlack.com: He just moved to Brownsburg from Columbus, Ind.?

Hart: Yes. His mom and dad both got jobs in our school district. Mom is a PE teacher and dad works in Special Ed for the Brownsburg schools. I know they are awfully excited he is going to a school the whole family wants. He will do whatever it takes to make a team better, whether it’s blocking or catching.

GoldandBlack.com: Any plays he has made this season that stand out?

Hart: Probably the best play so far this year was when Ben was scrambling and had to throw back across the field, 50-55 yards. He wasn’t even throwing it to Preston. But he retraced back and high-pointed the ball over one of our other receivers and a defensive back.

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