I think it's clear, with the early commitments of the 2022 class and the high rankings of the 2021 class, that the last four players who have verballed to Purdue have been "Plan A" guys. I wanted to look back and see how common this is, so here's a list of previous year recruiting classes and whether they're Plan A, B, C, or D.
Obviously this is speculative and subjective, but I welcome any disagreements.
2022
Smith - B (he committed early but I just can’t bring myself to call him a plan A guy)
Heide - A
Loyer - A
whoever commits next will be a plan C, behind Washington and shaver.
2021
Furst - A
Kaufman - A
Waddel - C
2020
Ivey - A
Morton - A
Edey - B (Painter went really hard after Dickinson first)
2019
Thompson - B ( not the same position, but TJD was Plan A)
Newman - A
Gillis - C (Malik Hall was Plan A, Drew Timme was Plan B)
2018
Eric Hunter - B (Campbell was plan A)
Tre Williams - B (Okoro was plan A)
Dowuona - D (I don't remember much about his recruitment and it seems he fell in our lap)
2017
Eastern - A
Stefanovic - B (I don't know how much time Painter spent on Scruggs and Wilkes.)
Wheeler - C (Jaren Jackson was Plan A)
Ewing - D
Haarms - C ( Malik Williams was Plan A and Epperson was Plan B)
2016
Edwards - C (CJ Walker and Zavier Simpson were the Plan A and B guys.)
2015
Weatherford - C
Swanigan - A
Cline - A
2014
Thompson - C (Tyler Ulis was Plan A, Bryant McIntosh Plan B)
Mathias - B (Blueitt was probably Plan A)
Edwards - A
Taylor - C (Bates-Diop was Plan A. There was probably somebody else too)
Haas - B (Tyler Wideman was Plan A)
2013
Scott - B (They could have played together but I'm sure Zak Irvin was Plan A)
Stephens - A
Smotherman - B (while excited to have him, I feel like there was a lot of smoke with VJ Beachem)
2012
Johnson - B (Kyle Molock was Plan A)
Davis - A (He committed so early)
Simpson - C (Not the same position, but this Indiana class was loaded with Glenn Robinson, Gary Harris, Hollowell, etc)
Hammons - B
2011
Lawson - C (Dawson and probably somebody else was priority)
Hale - B (Cody Zeller was Plan A)
2010
A. Johnson - B (This is really just a guess. We're straining the limits of my memory here)
T. Johnson - A
Carroll - A (He put up crazy stats in HS, I remember being really pumped about him)
2009
Barlow - B
Byrd - A (The highest rated player (107th nationally) in a horrible IN class)
Bade - C (Elston and Jeff Robinson were before him.)
Marcius - B (I was surprised to see his national ranking at 153. I don't remember hearing much about him during recruitment.)
2008
Jackson - A
Smith - A
Hart - C (Not the same position, but Zeller would have taken this spot)
2007
Moore - A
Hummel - A
Martin - A
Johnson - A
Obviously this is speculative and subjective, but I welcome any disagreements.
2022
Smith - B (he committed early but I just can’t bring myself to call him a plan A guy)
Heide - A
Loyer - A
whoever commits next will be a plan C, behind Washington and shaver.
2021
Furst - A
Kaufman - A
Waddel - C
2020
Ivey - A
Morton - A
Edey - B (Painter went really hard after Dickinson first)
2019
Thompson - B ( not the same position, but TJD was Plan A)
Newman - A
Gillis - C (Malik Hall was Plan A, Drew Timme was Plan B)
2018
Eric Hunter - B (Campbell was plan A)
Tre Williams - B (Okoro was plan A)
Dowuona - D (I don't remember much about his recruitment and it seems he fell in our lap)
2017
Eastern - A
Stefanovic - B (I don't know how much time Painter spent on Scruggs and Wilkes.)
Wheeler - C (Jaren Jackson was Plan A)
Ewing - D
Haarms - C ( Malik Williams was Plan A and Epperson was Plan B)
2016
Edwards - C (CJ Walker and Zavier Simpson were the Plan A and B guys.)
2015
Weatherford - C
Swanigan - A
Cline - A
2014
Thompson - C (Tyler Ulis was Plan A, Bryant McIntosh Plan B)
Mathias - B (Blueitt was probably Plan A)
Edwards - A
Taylor - C (Bates-Diop was Plan A. There was probably somebody else too)
Haas - B (Tyler Wideman was Plan A)
2013
Scott - B (They could have played together but I'm sure Zak Irvin was Plan A)
Stephens - A
Smotherman - B (while excited to have him, I feel like there was a lot of smoke with VJ Beachem)
2012
Johnson - B (Kyle Molock was Plan A)
Davis - A (He committed so early)
Simpson - C (Not the same position, but this Indiana class was loaded with Glenn Robinson, Gary Harris, Hollowell, etc)
Hammons - B
2011
Lawson - C (Dawson and probably somebody else was priority)
Hale - B (Cody Zeller was Plan A)
2010
A. Johnson - B (This is really just a guess. We're straining the limits of my memory here)
T. Johnson - A
Carroll - A (He put up crazy stats in HS, I remember being really pumped about him)
2009
Barlow - B
Byrd - A (The highest rated player (107th nationally) in a horrible IN class)
Bade - C (Elston and Jeff Robinson were before him.)
Marcius - B (I was surprised to see his national ranking at 153. I don't remember hearing much about him during recruitment.)
2008
Jackson - A
Smith - A
Hart - C (Not the same position, but Zeller would have taken this spot)
2007
Moore - A
Hummel - A
Martin - A
Johnson - A
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