2/4/2019 football Edit

Looking ahead: Receivers

Tom Dienhart • BoilerUpload

GoldandBlack.com, Associate Editor

SPRING PREVIEWS: Quarterbacks | Running backs | Offensive line | Tight ends

There is much anticipation and excitement about the receiving unit. And it all begins with Rondale Moore, who will be the centerpiece of a unit that’s flush with young talent.

Jeff Brohm and Co., will welcome a group of freshman receivers unrivaled in program annals. The crown jewel is David Bell, rated the No. 1 player in Indiana by rivals.com and the state Gatorade Player of the Year. But it doesn’t stop with the 6-2, 180-pound Indianapolis native. Staffers are equally excited about Louisville product Milton Wright (6-3/190). TJ Sheffield of Tennessee (5-10/165) and Mershawn Rice of Ohio (6-2/184) round out this talent-drenched group of incoming wideouts who will arrive this summer.

All of that young talent will join a promising group of receivers that is looking to improve this spring. It will be fun to see co-offensive coordinator/wideout coach JaMarcus Shephard shape this unit that teems with so much talent.

WHAT WE KNOW

No position on the team is filled with as much potential. And it all begins in the slot with sophomore Rondale Moore, one of the most exciting players in the nation. The 5-9, 175-pound Louisville, Ky., product more than lived up to the hype as a true freshman last season when he led the nation with 114 catches, earned All-American honors and was named Big Ten Receiver of the Year. His 1,258 receiving yards ranked eighth in America, and Moore added 12 TD catches. What will the diminutive speedster do for an encore?

Jared Sparks looked poised to be perhaps the team’s top wideout in training camp last season. But, the 6-1, 210-pound Sparks never developed, finishing with 28 catches for 274 yards with no TDs.

Fellow junior Jackson Anthrop also returns. The 5-11, 185-pound local product took a big step back in 2018, going from a team-high 47 catches for 423 yards and two TDs in 2017 to just eight receptions for 54 yards and no scores in 2018. The staff has recruited over Anthrop, but he still will find ways to contribute. Sophomore Tyler Hamilton, 5-9, 175, is trying to find a niche.

This is a big spring for redshirt freshmen Amad Anderson, Jordan Bonner and Kory Taylor. At 6-5, 215 pounds, Taylor is an intriguing option on the outside. Bonner is a 6-2, 200-pounder who has potential on the outside, too.

A big reason for excitement is the incoming freshmen. Few schools inked a better collection of wideout talent. And the talent parade is led by David Bell, the Gatorade Player of the Year in Indiana and the top-rated player in the state, according to rivals.com. The second he buckles his chinstrap, Bell could slide into a starting outside receiver slot. And don’t count out Milton Wright from pushing for big minutes, too, on the outside. TJ Sheffield is a nifty option who appears headed for a slot position. Last but not least is Mershawn Rice. He’s the most likely to redshirt among the group.

WHAT WE DON’T KNOW

Purdue loses two productive options in former JC transfers Isaac Zico and Terry Wright. Both had their moments the last two years, with each saving their best for last after taking a year to adapt to big-time college football.

Last season, Zico was No. 2 on the team with 46 catches for 743 yards with six TDs. Wright was fourth with 28 grabs for 468 and five scores. Yes, their veteran presences will be missed, but Purdue has made major upgrades at this position. And that will soften any impact of losing Zico and Wright, who each battled consistency problems.

The team also saw two players transfer Benaiah Franklin and Keyron Catlett. Neither figured to be a factor in 2019.

NAMES TO KNOW THIS SPRING

1. Rondale Moore, sophomore

2. Jared Sparks, redshirt junior

3. Jackson Anthrop, redshirt junior

4. Amad Anderson, redshirt freshman

5. Kory Taylor, redshirt freshman

6. Jordan Bonner, redshirt freshman

7. Tyler Hamilton, sophomore