More: Purdue commitments
Identity matters in recruiting, and Purdue's made the difference in landing four-star commitment Mershawn Rice.
The wide receiver recruit from Reynoldsburg, Ohio, committed to the Boilermakers last Sunday, but announced it late Friday night.
"I didn't realize how much they'd be passing the ball until Coach (JaMarcus) Shephard really laid it out for me," Rice said. "It just makes sense for a receiver to go there, I feel like.
"They want to pass the ball and spread teams out and they really laid out to me how much more they pass the ball than anyone else who was recruiting me."
Despite injuries at quarterback, inherited personnel that happened to be particularly deep at running back and not so much at receiver, Purdue threw the ball 491 times in Year 1 under Jeff Brohm and his staff, a needle that'll point upwards in years to come, most likely, as its staff contours its personnel to its philosophies, which it also illustrated with numbers from Brohm's time at Western Kentucky.
"They just want me to be that big-time receiver who can make a lot of plays," Rice said.
Rice chose Purdue over offers from Syracuse, Kentucky, Indiana and Pittsburgh, among others. Ohio State was among others interested, but Rice suspected the Buckeyes were interested in him as a safety.
The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder will play receiver in college, due to enroll at Purdue for the 2019 season, hoping to contribute immediately, as an outside wide receiver.
Playing through a hip injury all season for Reynoldsburg High School, Rice caught 36 passes for about 700 yards and eight scores as a junior.
"I feel like I have good enough speed to do whatever they need me to do," he said, "and good enough size for anything else."
Rice is Purdue's first offensive commitment and its second Rivals.com four-star addition — joining defensive lineman George Karlaftis — speaking to the momentum the Boilermaker program seems to be picking up, both on the field and in recruiting.
"I feel like Purdue's going to be the real deal in about a year or two," Rice said.
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