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Purdue mentions of the Top 50 True Freshman Seasons of All Time

KentuckyBoiler

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It has been a difficult week for Purdue recruiting this week, so why not have some positive vibes to end the week.

Here are Purdue mentions in the ESPN Top 50 True Freshman seasons of all time. No surprise here that there were no IU players on this list. Cannot post the entire article, because this is exclusive content.

48. WR David Bell, Purdue (2019)

You won't see many receivers on this list -- players at this position rarely made any sort of measurable first-year impact until the 2010s, while running backs were leaned on heavily from the moment the rule changed. (I chose 10 RBs and could have chosen about 25 more.)
That said, Bell was a no-brainer. Filling in for an injured Rondale Moore, he gained at least 100 yards in six of his last nine games and finished with 86 catches, 1,035 yards and 7 touchdowns.


47. DE George Karlaftis, Purdue (2019)

Purdue's 2019 signing class featured six four-star prospects; two became all-timers. While Bell was finding his way in the Boilermakers' offense, Karlaftis was erupting for 17 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and an interception. He wasn't just a playmaker, though. His elite motor and pursuit abilities helped him finish the year third on the team in overall tackles as a 265-pound defensive end.
WIDE RECEIVER/TIGHT END
1. Mike Williams, USC (2002)
2. Rondale Moore, Purdue (2018)
3. David Bell, Purdue (2019)
4. KD Cannon, Baylor (2014)
5. Marqise Lee, USC (2011)
6. Ronney Daniels, Auburn (1999)
7. Larry Fitzgerald, Pitt (2002)
8. Sammy Watkins, Clemson (2011)
9. Tamarick Vanover, Florida State (1992)
10. Calvin Ridley, Alabama (2015)

DEFENSIVE LINE
1. Hugh Green, Pitt (1977)
2. Tommie Harris, Oklahoma (2001)
3. Ed Oliver, Houston (2016)
4. Simeon Rice, Illinois (1992)
5. Derek Barnett, Tennessee (2014)
6. Ross Browner, Notre Dame (1973)
7. William Perry, Clemson (1981)
8. George Karlaftis, Purdue (2019)
9. Roosevelt Nix, Kent State (2010)
10. Rodrique Wright, Texas (2002)

31. WR Rondale Moore, Purdue (2018)​

Plenty of great freshmen have had great games, but almost none have so thoroughly embarrassed a national power.Moore's 12-catch, 170-yard performance drove a resounding 49-20 blowout of No. 2 Ohio State midway through his first season. He finished it with 114 catches, 1,258 yards and 12 touchdowns -- ridiculous numbers -- but he might have made this list even if he'd just retired after the Ohio State game.
 
Dahell, wasnt Williams a r-FR?

Also, who was #1 overall?
 
How far back did this list go? Purdue has many freshmen that started and excelled and were worthy of making this list!
 
Thanks.

pace was really good. Too young to see the other two
I will vouch for them...both were incredibly good, and, those spots are both a reflection of that, but, well-deserved as well.

Herschel was more or less a man amongst boys...he seemed that way to an extent even when he played pro football ultimately...but, very much the case while he was at Georgia.

Hugh Green was about as dominant a defensive player as there was back in his time, and, he was that way as well from the moment he first stepped on the field.
 
I will vouch for them...both were incredibly good, and, those spots are both a reflection of that, but, well-deserved as well.

Herschel was more or less a man amongst boys...he seemed that way to an extent even when he played pro football ultimately...but, very much the case while he was at Georgia.

Hugh Green was about as dominant a defensive player as there was back in his time, and, he was that way as well from the moment he first stepped on the field.

On Hugh Green- I remember telling my wife at the time that he was about the only defensive player I could ever recall that I would watch a game to watch him play- he was must-see TV. Never panned out at the next level (I don't think) but boy, was he good in college!
 
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On Hugh Green- I remember telling my wife at the time that he was about the only defensive player I could ever recall that I would watch a game to watch him play- he was must-see TV. Never panned out at the next level (I don't think) but boy, was he good in college!
Found this earlier today:

In 1980, Green won the Walter Camp Award, the Maxwell Award, the Lombardi Award and was the Sporting News Player of the Year, the UPI Player of the Year and finished second in the Heisman Trophy balloting, losing to running back George Rogers of the University of South Carolina.[3] Green's second-place finish in the voting was the best a defensive specialist had ever attained until 1997, when Charles Woodson won the award.

And, I could not agree more with your point...he was SO good and SO dominant at the time, that, he was the first "must-see" defensive player that I remember as well.

He was solid in the NFL, but, never the force that he was in college...he had a bad knee injury in Miami that robbed him of some of what made him so great in college. He was definitely good in the NFL though.
 
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