Purdue's slate of June official visits began late last week with a visit from Georgia linebacker Jayland Parker, one of its many early targets at a position of great apparent need for the Boilermakers.
"The whole coaching staff welcomed me with open arms and told me all the things I could do for their program," Parker said, "and told me how great of an athlete they think I am. We broke down some film together.
"A big thing was them talking to me about replacing Markus Bailey, who's a semi-finalist for the Butkus Award, so he's a great linebacker, a great player. They said they could see me playing the same position and helping them replace him."
The Rivals.com three-star outside linebacker from Westside High School in Macon, Ga., said Purdue appreciates his versatility, too.
"And they said another special thing about me is that when they go to their nickel package, with my coverage skills as an outside linebacker, they think they could keep me in the game, and I really like that," Parker said.
"They said my athletic ability and being able to cover and rush the passer. They think I'm an amazing pass-rusher, but my coverage is very good, too. They just think I'm an athlete who can be used multiple ways."
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This was Parker's first official visit and the first of several visits he'll take this month. Next weekend, he'll visit Colorado, where head coach Mel Tucker knows him well from his days as Georgia's defensive coordinator. The following weekend, he's likely to make an unofficial visit to Mississippi State, which hasn't offered yet, but is highly interested, Parker said. He also has had an official visit to North Carolina State scheduled, and Pittsburgh has long been a contender.
"Purdue's high on my list right now," Parker said. "I've got a couple more visits, a couple more officials and unofficials and whatnot, so these next couple weeks I'll be working things out and seeing where everyone is, but Purdue's real high on my list."
Parker said he was hosted on his visit by linebacker Cornel Jones, but also spent time with a number of other players, including Rondale Moore ("That was cool," he said) and freshman defensive end George Karlaftis.
"(Jones) just told me it was a great program," Parker said. "He actually watched my tape before I came up there and said he thought I was a great player who could help them, and that I should think about Purdue.
"I'm going to. It's one of my top schools."
Part of that standing, Parker says, is that Purdue lines up with some of the factors that might be most important to him when it comes time to decide, likely prior to July.
"I have to look at this like, 'Would I see myself going here if I didn't play sports?'" said Parker, who's interested in a sports medicine-type academic field, "and with Purdue, it was amazing finding out more about not just being an athlete but a student as well, the academics, and what my future could be if I held a degree from Purdue.
"I'm also looking at who might be able to help me help me take the next step (as a football player) and help me get to the pros."
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