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Gold and Black Illustrated, March-April, 2013

Gold and Black is a multi-platform media company that covers Purdue athletics like no one else.

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officially visiting in late September for its win over Marshall. Academics earned Purdue the nod despite Clark receiving reported offers from West Virginia, Oklahoma and many more. ���He���s the ultimate playmaker,��� said Archbishop Carroll coach Raviel Maisonet, ���and I think he was possibly under-rated. He had 13 picks as a junior and the way he can put his foot in the ground and run with the ball and with his instincts, there���s no doubt in my mind he will play early for Purdue. That���s no knock on what Purdue can do, but it���s going to be hard to keep that kid on the sideline, even as a true freshman. ���He���s just so bright and defensively, you can play him at corner or safety. He���s physical and strong; he squats 500 pounds. ���To me, he���s like Ed Reed. Somebody mentioned that last year and I think that fits him perfectly. You can send him on blitzes and you can keep him in backfield in coverage.��� Where Clark fits in right away might remain to be seen, though the Rivals.com three-star prospect was originally recruited to play cornerback. As a senior, Clark played several different positions on defense, including linebacker, out of need, but finished with 80 tackles, two interceptions and four forced fumbles. JOHNNY DANIELS Defensive Tackle ��� 6-5, 255 N eeding interior defensive linemen badly as the process wound down, Purdue targeted the 6-5, 255-pound defensive tackle from a high school, Chicago Foreman, that had never before produced a Division I football signee. Daniels, who chose Purdue over an offer from Northern Illinois, is known for being athletic for his size and charismatic. ���He���s just a big person and has a big personality,��� defensive coordinator Greg Hudson said. ���We loved the way he plays football. We love when big guys leave their feet. It shows effort.��� Though Daniels expects to soon he pushing 300 pounds, some schools viewed him as athletic enough to play defensive end. Purdue recruited him as a tackle, a position where its younger ranks need replenishing. ���They basically said they like my explosiveness,��� Daniels said. ���They said that was pretty impressive to them, and my size and speed and the way I move. They said they really love the effort I showed on the field, how I could chase plays down.��� As a senior at Foreman, which hosted an elaborate signing day ceremony for its first-ever major college football recruit, Daniels played seven games as a senior ��� missing one due to injury and another due to Chicago���s police strike ��� and made 73 tackles, including six sacks. GBIprint.com GoldandBlack.com DALYN DAWKINS Running Back ��� 5-9, 175 H azell and his new Purdue staff already have the blueprint in place for the explosive and versatile running back from mighty Trinity High School in Louisville. At Kent State, star Dri Archer led the Golden Flashes in both rushing and receiving, being used in a variety of capacities by Hazell. When Purdue recruited Dawkins, it did so with Archer in mind. ���I think those two are very similar,��� Hazell said, ���where (Dawkins) is quick between the tackles and can hit a sweep for you. For as small as he is, if you watch him in pass protection, he���s excellent. He will step up and stiff someone, but you can also put him in the slot and let him operate out of the slot and do those things to get matchups on safeties and linebackers if they aren���t going to change their personnel.��� Purdue will also use Dawkins as a slot receiver. But Dawkins wants to make certain that everyone knows he is a running back first and foremost, as Jafar Williams noted when he mentioned the ���chip on his shoulder��� Dawkins seems to play with as he continues to prove Buy Subaru and keep Indiana driving. Lafayette, Indiana built 2012 Subaru Legacy Fort Wayne Subaru 5000 Illinois Road Fort Wayne, IN 47905 260-432-4567 www.fortwaynesubaru.com Bob Rohrman Subaru 1600 South Creasy Lane Lafayette, IN 47905 765-449-8100 www.bobrohrmansubaru.com Gold & Black IllustrateD ��� volume 23, issue 4 ������ 15

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