Welcome Mr. Eastern!

[BoilerBulldog]

Nobody on this board ever thought Wilkes or Scruggs was even a remote shot. And frankly anyone who thought we were getting JJJ, Eastern, and either Williams/Tillman was overly optimistic. Those 4 were priorities and it looks like we got 1. We are a school that should target closer to 50% IMO. But Painter has recovered nicely with a potential diamond in Wheeler. And if we get Epperson? This becomes one of his stronger classes. But this program does NOT take a step back with Eastern as our primary get.

 

[Purdue Grad in Texas]

Guess it was/is Eastern time.....welcome Nojel Eastern.....newest Boilermaker.

 

[hoosierdog1]

We weren't all hoping for it because most of us knew Wilkes and Scruggs weren't coming here. You keep using their names because it fits your agenda. JJJ, Tillman and Eastern were the top names consistently talked about.

And Williams was always on that list.

 

[BoilerDaddy]

And Williams was always on that list.

I can't really imagine a kid who eventually chose Louisville was ever going to pick Purdue. The two have very different appeals.

 

[Cleanface]

BOOM BABY!

Welcome N. Eastern!


BOILER UP!!!

 

[SnowLeopard]

I believe he was the top targeted Guard all along. Eastern and a Big (JJJ or Williams) was considered a great class. Missed on the 2 bigs but love getting Eastern.

Exactly this

Eastern is the No. 1 guard on our wish list, and we got him

I'm actually not that fussed over JJJ or Tillman. MSU could offer them immediate playing time, whereas they would have to sit behind Haas, VE and possibly Swanigan their freshman years

2018 is where we will reel in the top 50 frontcourt players

 

[Boileratthebeach]

This isn't "an old article". This is what we were all hoping for and Painter's Plan A, B, C, etc. not 5 years ago, but just back in April 2016... as in after last season was over (prematurely) and before anything had started this year. I was certainly hoping for 3 guys off that list.

Wilkes was considered an IU lean and just committed to UCLA. No where were we ever considered there. The only real loss was JJJ. Let's be happy for once.

 

[Dakota Girl]

I can't really imagine a kid who eventually chose Louisville was ever going to pick Purdue. The two have very different appeals.

Agree but I do recal him being a popular board want. Seems like I forget him since decided so early.

 

[BoilerDaddy]

Agree but I do recal him being a popular board want. Seems like I forget him since decided so early.

He was a popular board want. OB52 hyped him for a long time and seemed pretty convinced that he would choose Purdue, but once he committed to Louisville I assumed that Purdue's chances were probably never as good as OB52 thought.

 

[Kesselschmiede]

Wilkes was considered an IU lean and just committed to UCLA. No where were we ever considered there. The only real loss was JJJ. Let's be happy for once.

He's not capable of enjoying Purdue success. Only time he is happy is when something goes wrong. I truly don't buy he is a Boiler to begin with. No one can be that negative about a school they supposedly went to.

 

[cprh9u]

Exactly this

Eastern is the No. 1 guard on our wish list, and we got him

I'm actually not that fussed over JJJ or Tillman. MSU could offer them immediate playing time, whereas they would have to sit behind Haas, VE and possibly Swanigan their freshman years

2018 is where we will reel in the top 50 frontcourt players

Top 50 frontcourt players? I think we have 2 ever under CMP in JJ and Biggie. Some more would be nice. Maybe another top 50 backcourt player like E'Twuan too just for good measure.

 

[Kesselschmiede]

Top 50 frontcourt players? I think we have 2 ever under CMP in JJ and Biggie. Some more would be nice. Maybe another top 50 backcourt player like E'Twuan too just for good measure.

What a shocker, you already are complaining about something.

 

[DG10]

I could be wrong, but the only recruit (rated higher than Eastern) that I remember Purdue having a legitimate shot with was JJJ. Eastern has always been coveted and highly-regarded around here. Again, if memory serves, we've always wanted him more than Tillman (who is ranked lower, I believe...though I put less stock in rankings than most folks do).

IF we get him, I believe it could be even more important than most folks are saying. What this team lacks--what Carsen Edwards isn't yet but could very well become--is a dynamic scoring/creating guard who can get his own shot in crunch time. IMO, it's why our ceiling has been "very good" ever since Moore graduated (rather than "great").

With that dynamic guard (Eastern and/or Edwards), we could become an elite team. I hate to put that kind of pressure on a recruit, but his impact could be enormous.

I don't think there is any doubt that Eastern and JJJ were two of the top three targets in the class (Williams the other), and while JJJ was the more highly rated ultimately, I think Eastern is maybe a more important get because of his pairing with Edwards (and because he was a big-time prospect from out of state).

There is no downplaying his commitment...it was big on its own, but it is big I think again because of what it means in terms of Purdue being set with a really solid backcourt for a couple of years, which in turn should hopefully be appealing to some bigs as well. It is disappointing that Purdue missed on the guys that they did, but, JJJ and Eastern almost seemed in some ways like the longest shots to land, and Painter and Purdue deserve credit for being able to not just land Eastern, but, to land him after having missed on some of the others.

Admittedly, after having missed on all of the other priority and high-profile targets, I just assumed that Eastern was going to commit elsewhere as well (and it would have been crazy had he committed to MSU, providing them virtually THE class that Purdue had wanted and sought). Glad that was not the case and that he did commit to Purdue in the end...a very solid get for Purdue and Painter...maybe the best recruit that they genuinely identified and pursued and landed on their own since the Baby Boiler class...and hopefully something that will lead to some future recruiting success as well.

 

[DG10]

Man, everyone is on edge and in attack mode! Must be because we haven't been able to land anyone above a 3 star yet in 17. Here is Brian's "front burner" 2017 article:

https://purdue.rivals.com/news/purd...ting-class-could-be-a-pivotal-one-for-program

In the article, here are the guys he listed in order of Rival ranking, that were "front burner" recruits for us:

Jaren Jackson- from Indy, #15- 5 star
Kris Wilkes- from Indy, #18- 5 star
Malik Williams- from Fort Wayne, #29- 4 star
Paul Scruggs- from Indy, #31- 4 star
Nojel Eastern- from Illinois, #75- 4 star
Xavier Tillman- from MI, #86- 4 star
Kyle Young- from OH, #109- 4 star

So again, I'm saying he is wanted, but he isn't one of the top 2-3 guys (actually 4 based on Brian's front burner article) we originally hoped for. There isn't an objective person here who was hoping for a class of Eastern and some projects in the mighty 2017 class that was FULL OF INDIANA TALENT, but that is where we are.

I don't disagree entirely, or even a whole lot...but, that list was a wish list more than a practical list of any sort...JJJ was a legit option, and Williams was as well (if not even someone that Purdue arguably led for along the way during his recruitment)...but Purdue had absolutely no chance at any point for either Wilkes or Scruggs...so while they are each studs and would have been tremendous gets from a talent standpoint, there was no point even including their names on the list, never mind purportedly as ahead of Eastern if that is indeed the case.

To me at least, Eastern was indeed one of the top three targets...along with Williams and JJJ. Ultimately, given what it means for Purdue by being able to pair him with Edwards in the backcourt, it was not only a huge get just getting him, but bigger picture, it solidifies that backcourt nicely for a couple of years, and maybe that is something that can be parlayed into landing a couple of bigs now that will want to play with them hopefully...would have been nice had that happened with either JJJ, Williams or even Tillman, but maybe it will happen now.

'17 no doubt did not turn out as ultimately hoped (if not planned)...but, getting Eastern was huge in a number of ways, and more so arguably given what had already happened with the other '17 targets. As for the ridiculously talented '17 class in Indiana, not one of the premier national-level guys stayed in Indiana.

At least now there is something to sell in recruiting for '18 other than just playing time...there is a solid backcourt that should make playing with them appealing...no idea if it will or not...and fair to point out that '17 was a disappointment certainly in some ways (as well as to note how important '18 still is, and maybe even more so because of the misses in '17), but, no need or reason to downplay what was a really solid get in Eastern, especially after the other misses.