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Gold and Black Illustrated, Vol 26, Digital 3

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GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 26, ISSUE 3 67 BY BRIAN NEUBERT BNeubert@GoldandBlack.com P urdue signed four prospects early this year, each of them in direct response to a clear need. Those Boilermaker 2016 mid-year recruits are ju- nior college players Jalen Neal (offensive tackle), Austin Lar- kin (defensive end) and Kamal Hardy (cornerback) and high school prospect Jack Wegher (wide receiver/running back). Here's a look at the four December signees and how they fit into the big picture. AUSTIN LARKIN Purdue brings back the bulk of its defensive line next season, but the former Notre Dame outside linebacker and special-teamer — he joined the Irish as an invited walk-on — was signed in hopes he can add some pass-rush punch to the Boilermaker front. Purdue has lacked a pass-rushing presence that can con- sistently generate pressure on his own, without additional systematic help. It would be helpful for Purdue defensively to go into games figuring it might not have to blitz extensively to generate a rush, and so it wanted a potential instant-impact pass-rush- er in this class. Larkin, who didn't play defensive end until he enrolled at City College of San Francisco, registered seven sacks and 17 tackles for loss for the junior college national champs this season, and it's hoped he can be the pass-rusher Purdue's looking for, while also bringing some versatility to the table, maybe. His outside linebacker background could help him if he's used in coverage periodically as part of zone blitzes or in the role Purdue has wanted its rush end position to play. With Purdue between coordinators, though, it does remain to be seen whether that position will even remain part of what the Boilermakers do. It can't possibly hurt, either, that he also possesses some experience playing major college football. In 2014, he won Notre Dame's scout team award for de- fense and subsequently was in the mix for special teams work and backup snaps at linebacker that season. "It won't be any kind of giant shock when you run out in front of thousands of people," Larkin said. "I've never really been one for stage fright but that won't be much of a factor, because I've experienced it before." JALEN NEAL Purdue didn't recruit Neal very long and didn't offer him until about 48 hours prior to signing him. It still to this day hasn't met the offensive tackle and De- troit native in person or seen him up close. But Purdue needed offensive tackle help, preferably at the semester, and gets it in the 6-foot-8, 300-pound Neal. Purdue is losing starting tackle David Hedelin, himself a former junior college transfer, and may — may — be in- clined to move its other starter, Cameron Cermin, to center to replace departing senior Robert Kugler. That remains a hypothetical at this point, but it does seem like a real possibility. Four On The Board MEN'S FOOTBALL RECRUITING Purdue starts off 2016 recruiting class with mid-year signees Purdue needed a corner and got one in Kamal Hardy.

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