May not have a lot to add here beyond, "Purdue needed a center in this recruiting class and got one," but we want to make analysis an emphasis this recruiting year, so we will take a look at Powell here.
Again, Purdue had to have a true center in this class, and though Powell doesn't play center for his high school, Purdue and others have projected him for the position because of, he says, his mind, his athleticism, and because the position might be his best fit from a measurables perspective.
Powell's commitment underscores something about Purdue's offensive line recruiting philosophy in that its coaches seem willing to sacrifice certain things from a measurables perspective in exchange for certain other qualities. Centers obviously don't need to be 6-foot-5 or whatever, but in Kirk Barron before, Purdue took a 6-footish interior offensive lineman because of his tenacity, energy and power and how is taking another slightly vertically undersized center (at probably 6-2 from what we've been told) for the reasons we listed above, because he's reputed to be athletic and smart.
It is far from ideal to play a true freshman center ever, unless you're talking about a supremely talented player, so Purdue wasn't setting out to recruit next year's starting center, but it does have to set itself up for the future.
Robert Kugler will leave a huge void after this season; pound for pound, you can make a case he is Purdue's best player and won't be easily replaced. But the guess here is that veteran Cameron Cermin moves into center in 2016, giving time for Purdue to redshirt Powell, keep Barron in the oven a little longer if need be, and afford time for other potential alternatives to present themselves. Of course, we're only speculating and projecting now - there's no telling what will happen - but speculating and projecting are the very foundation of recruiting.
We'll say it again: Any commitment gained this time of year is a good commitment, because it almost always means it's an A-list type of guy for a school.
Purdue now has four commitments toward what will be a small class, a very small class actually.
But if these early commitments all stick - no reason to think they won't, but that asterisk nowadays is a mandatory one - Purdue has some of its biggest needs out of the way.
Cornerback might have been the most pressing need in the class.
Done, presumably.
Center was a must.
Done.
Now, once Purdue gets a kicker, its must-haves will be largely out of the way, maybe taking some small measure of pressure off.
Again, Purdue had to have a true center in this class, and though Powell doesn't play center for his high school, Purdue and others have projected him for the position because of, he says, his mind, his athleticism, and because the position might be his best fit from a measurables perspective.
Powell's commitment underscores something about Purdue's offensive line recruiting philosophy in that its coaches seem willing to sacrifice certain things from a measurables perspective in exchange for certain other qualities. Centers obviously don't need to be 6-foot-5 or whatever, but in Kirk Barron before, Purdue took a 6-footish interior offensive lineman because of his tenacity, energy and power and how is taking another slightly vertically undersized center (at probably 6-2 from what we've been told) for the reasons we listed above, because he's reputed to be athletic and smart.
It is far from ideal to play a true freshman center ever, unless you're talking about a supremely talented player, so Purdue wasn't setting out to recruit next year's starting center, but it does have to set itself up for the future.
Robert Kugler will leave a huge void after this season; pound for pound, you can make a case he is Purdue's best player and won't be easily replaced. But the guess here is that veteran Cameron Cermin moves into center in 2016, giving time for Purdue to redshirt Powell, keep Barron in the oven a little longer if need be, and afford time for other potential alternatives to present themselves. Of course, we're only speculating and projecting now - there's no telling what will happen - but speculating and projecting are the very foundation of recruiting.
We'll say it again: Any commitment gained this time of year is a good commitment, because it almost always means it's an A-list type of guy for a school.
Purdue now has four commitments toward what will be a small class, a very small class actually.
But if these early commitments all stick - no reason to think they won't, but that asterisk nowadays is a mandatory one - Purdue has some of its biggest needs out of the way.
Cornerback might have been the most pressing need in the class.
Done, presumably.
Center was a must.
Done.
Now, once Purdue gets a kicker, its must-haves will be largely out of the way, maybe taking some small measure of pressure off.
