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56 ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 25, ISSUE 3 f ate help in recruiting a year ago was the offensive line, signing a pair of junior college players in hopes they could come in and help right away. One did, one didn't. David Hedelin, the native of Sweden who signed with Purdue in the spring after originally committing to Michigan State, became eligible for the fourth game of the season after being suspended for the first three for playing as a "professional" (in the NCAA's eyes) overseas out of high school. Hedelin started the final eight games of the season, showing to be further along as a run blocker than pass protector and showing some roughness around the edg- es, maybe not altogether surprising considering it was only his third season playing football in the U.S., the first two at the JUCO level. The 6-4, 300ish-pound Hedelin looks the part of a high-level college offensive lineman and has the athlet- icism and aggressive temperament to match it, but there have been hurdles. "You have to remember that this is his third language," offensive line coach Jim Bridge said midseason. "He is fluent in Swedish, Spanish and now English and he's in a foreign country and he's learning a new offense. Every day for him he learns how to do something better. He's talented, he's aggressive, and he's still figuring it out. "We all need to keep working on technique. Improved technique will help him, and that's something that doesn't come easily, and he's doing it in his third language. We've brought something up to him and he didn't even know what we meant when we brought it up. There was a com- munication issue with him, and that's just natural. How far he has come in such a short period of time is really re- markable, and if he can continue to progress at the level he is, he can be a special player." Purdue touts fellow junior college recruit Corey Clements as the biggest player in college football. It remains to be seen, though, whether the 6-8, con- servatively listed as a 400-pound guard's size will ever be functional size. Clements did not play a meaningful offensive snap as a debuting junior. "He really needs to learn how to stay in college football shape," Bridge said midseason. "It isn't necessarily body weight, but it's the ability to move what you have at a good pace for an extended period of time. When he keeps getting that down, he will be fine. He's got a really quick Tom Campbell A physically mature freshman, Cole Herman might be able to contribute next season, but needs work on route running and technique to make a big impact. Tom Campbell Center Kirk Barron and guard Martesse Patterson could still be a year away from contributing.