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Restocking The d-line The following is a look at Purdue���s returning, and new, scholarship defensive linemen. Veterans Player DE Jalani Phillips DE Greg Latta DE Ryan Russell DT/DE Ryan Isaac DT Bruce Gaston DT Eric McDaniel DT Michael Rouse DT Brandon Taylor DT Ryan Watson Yr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. So. Sr. So. Ht.Wt. 6-4 260 6-6 265 6-5 275 6-5 294 6-2 303 6-2 300 6-4 295 6-1 295 6-3 294 Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. 6-3 6-5 6-4 6-4 6-5 6-4 Newcomers DE Antoine Miles DE Evan Panfil DE Jake Replogle DE John Strauser DT Johnny Daniels DT Ra���Zahn Howard 250 240 240 235 255 315 hybrid-like players at end. ���He was basically telling me that the defensive end position is critical, sometimes you have your hand in the dirt and sometimes you could be standing up or covering a receiver,��� Miles said of Hudson. ���It���s not like any other position on the defense. You really have to be a standout player to play that position.��� Purdue���s had extensive success with those athletic-style defensive ends over the years from Rosevelt Colvin and Shaun Phillips years ago to Anthony Spencer and Ryan Kerrigan more recently. Each, of course, went on to enjoy success playing linebacker in the NFL. The Boilermakers are now hoping to find similar impact players in the most recent crop of newcomers. ���A lot of these guys, on film, have shown the versatility of playing the two spots,��� Hudson said, ���so that helps. And also, they���re smart kids and willing to do it. I think you have to experiment and you have to be creative, have to multitask and teach Antoine Miles could be a pass-rusher off the edge, after having guys to play more than one position.��� a dozen or so sacks last season. Miles says he���s ready to get going, knowing that an opportunity to play should be Purdue secured the services of its half dozen defensive linemen �����Strauser is already on cam- coming his way soon. ���They did sign a lot of defensive linemen, but pus, having signed as a mid-year enrollee �����withI feel like they wanted a lot of depth,��� Miles said. out a position coach. As of late-February, with spring practice less than a month away, Hazell had ���The defensive line position is critical. That���s where it starts, so I feel like they wanted to get not yet made a hire. Hudson, the former linebackers coach at as many guys so that we���d have the opportunity to Florida State, has been key in filling that void in play with the best.��� j had offers from about a dozen schools. ���I really didn���t know much before about them, or that they were interested, so when I found out, I was surprised. It was something new.��� The same could be said of Daniels. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound tackle from Chicago had heard from Purdue as far back as a year ago but not much more came of it. But in only a few days time in January, he saw the Boilers��� interest pick up immensely, with an offer coming a couple days before his visit. ���It really was (a quick recruitment),��� said the interim. He wants space-eaters at tackle and Daniels, who picked Purdue over Northern Illinois. ���I committed at the last breakfast we had before we left to go back home during my official visit. It just felt perfect for me. It was hard to turn down.��� Panfil had seen some interest from Hope, as well, but that hadn���t turned into an offer. That is, until Hazell decided on extending one to the 6-5, 230-pound Illinois native. Considering Panfil���s grandfather, Ken Panfil, and uncle, Vince Panfil, played at Purdue, and that his family has other strong pro-Boilermaker ties, his decision to switch was made easier. ���It has been kind of tough, getting a lot of pressure from my family just because of the Purdue presence,��� Panfil said at the time of his verbal. ���But it feels good to be able to say I���m a Boilermaker.��� GBIprint.com GoldandBlack.com Gold & Black IllustrateD ��� volume 23, issue 4 ������ 31