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GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 27, ISSUE 4 28 for freshmen. "That was the main part of my decision," Mackey said. "I looked at their depth chart and saw an opportu- nity to make a pretty quick impact." Mackey will play corner at Purdue, but was offered by USF as a safety. "A lot of coaches liked that I'm a pretty physical play- er," said Mackey, who recorded 60 tackles with two sacks and two interceptions as a senior at Booker T. Washington. "And they just think that I can be a lock- down corner." KENNETH MAJOR DB • 6-0, 190 • Hopkinsville, Ky. (Christian County) Much of the same that can be said about Mackey applies to Major, an- other member of the Western Ken- tucky crew that followed the Hill- topper coaches to the Big Ten. Catlett, Major's teammate at Christian County, knows him well, having practiced against him during their high school careers. "He's physical, a really hands-on DB," Catlett said. "His mind set is that he can compete with anybody in the nation. Anybody. He's not going to back down be- cause of what your name is or who you are. He's going to come after you." Major says he takes pride in carrying himself that way. "I'm not scared of anybody," he said. That might be part of the reason Purdue found room for him late in the process, landing his commitment on the final weekend before the signing date, adding him to a position where the Boilermakers need numbers and maybe immediate contributors. To the latter point, he might be physically ready, for one thing. "I'm physical and I like to get up on receivers," said Major, who totaled 65 tackles as a senior. "I'm downhill and physical and I like being a corner because you can talk to receivers while you shut them down." ROBERT MCWILLIAMS DE • 6-4, 210 • Coral Gables, Fla. (Coral Gables) Wanting one more pass-rusher right before signing day, Purdue issued a late offer to McWilliams and landed his signature without even getting him on campus for a visit. (He will make that official visit in April, during spring practice.) Purdue listed McWilliams on signing day as a defensive end, but he was also recruit- ed as an edge-rushing outside linebacker. "Coaches liked my get-off and explosion," McWil- liams said, "and how I can time the snap up and get to the ball." McWilliams did play defensive end frequently for Cor- al Gables High School. To do so in college, it stands to reason to suggest he's going to have to make significant steps in his physical development. As of February, he said he only weighed about 205 pounds. But it's his reputed 4.5-type speed, plus his long arms and flexibility that made him an intriguing pass-rush- ing prospect to Purdue and others. McWilliams recorded 16 sacks as a senior, as part of his 70-plus tackles. "Does he need to add strength and weight?" Brohm said. "Yes he does, and that will take some time. He's probably going to be a guy who may not be ready the first year, but he has some speed and get-off and length that's hard to find, so I really like his makeup and in time he will be very good." McWilliams was offered by Pittsburgh right before signing day, too. He'd also been offered by FIU, Tem- ple, Hawaii and Washington State, where he made an official visit.