Another piece to the 2026 recruiting class puzzle is now in place for the Boilermakers. Three-star Carlson (Mich.) running back Izaiah Wright announced his commitment to Purdue on Tuesday, on the heels of his weekend visit to West Lafayette.
Wright's announcement was the second of the day for the Boilermakers, who also landed four-star quarterback Corin Berry on Tuesday afternoon.
Wright came out of the visit with a new official visit locked in with the Boilermakers, before ultimately committing to Barry Odom, Lamar Conard and company. The Michigan native chose the Boilermakers over offers from the likes of Wisconsin, Indiana, Tennessee, Missouri, Minnesota, Northwestern, Pitt, Michigan State, West Virginia, Cincinnati and others.
The 5-foot-10, 200-pound tailback shows great vision on tape, excelling between the tackles and picking up tough yards, while having the breakaway speed to produce big runs. Wright has a low center of gravity that makes him a tough tackle for any defender, and helped him surpass over 2,000 all-purpose yards and 31 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2023.
Rivals National Recruiting Analyst Greg Smith shared his thoughts on the type of back Wright can be after his commitment to the Boilermakers as well.
“Wright (5-11, 200) is a compact running back that runs with good power. What I like about him on film is that he shows good vision to see the hole and acceleration through the hole. The best part about Wright’s game right now is that he’s very difficult to bring down with the first defender. He’s truly a player that the defense has to gang tackle. The Michigan native isn’t a burner but he’ll be an effective chain-mover in college.”
Wright becomes the fourth commitment in the 2026 recruiting class for Purdue, joining four-star quarterback Corin Berry, three-star offensive tackle Rico Schrieber and three-star linebacker Brayden Sweeney.
The Boilermakers still have several running backs in the 2026 class still on the board, as they could look to add multiple tailbacks in the cycle. Four-star prospects DeZephen Walker and Kory Amachree, as well as three-star talents Lekhy Thompkins and Jayvian Tanelus all have official visits booked to West Lafayette between April and June.
When Wright gets to campus in 2026, he will join a young and talented running backs room for Lamar Conard, with Devin Mockobee and Malachi Thomas both in their last year of eligibility. The Boilermakers will have the likes of Jaheim Merriweather, Antonio Harris, Ziaire Stevens, and Jaron Thomas to utilize out of the backfield, along with Wright.
