Another veteran defensive back will make his way to West Lafayette in 2025, as Purdue football landing Houston transfer safety Hershey McLaurin out of the transfer portal today. McLaurin's commitment comes on the heels of his official visit to campus.

McLaurin was the No. 8 player in the 2022 JUCO player rankings, according to Rivals, where he signed with West Virginia after a standout stint at Jones County Junior College in Mississippi. McLaurin racked up 89 total tackles, seven tackles for loss and four pass breakups as a two-year starter for the Mountaineers.

After his stint in Morgantown, McLaurin transferred to Houston and was a starter for the Cougars in 2024. There he had career-best marks with 50 tackles, eight tackles for loss, three pass breakups and an interception, while playing strong safety for Willie Fritz's defense.

Purdue now adds another veteran safety to the mix on the back end of Mike Scherer's defense, which has undergone a full makeover this off-season. McLaurin becomes the 11th transfer defensive back to join the program this off-season, joining the likes of Crew Wakley, Tahj Ra-El, Ryan Turner, Chalil Cummings, An'Darius Coffey, Tony Grimes, Richard Toney, Ryan Turner, Tre Wright and Chad Brown.

The Boilermakers now also have 55 transfer additions this off-season and 25 during the spring portal window.