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GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 28, ISSUE 4 27 Overview: The 2018 Class BY BRIAN NEUBERT BNeubert@GoldandBlack.com I t stands to reason to suggest that this incoming recruiting class just signed by Purdue coach Jeff Brohm and his staff should loom large in both the program's short- and long-term outlook. First off, it's the first signing class for the program throughly vetted and put together by the program's exist- ing staff, after last year's signing class was put together in about two months, virtually from scratch. Second, Purdue's 24 signees — it's possible the class grows with a grad transfer or two, if space allows and the right players can be found — represent potentially foundational personnel influxes, on both sides of the ball, four positions in particular, all of them critical to the growth of the program. Offensive Line: Purdue's been stop-gapping offen- sive tackle for years now, unable to establish a produc- tive recruiting and player-development pipeline at the position. That's not a failing by this current staff, but rather the ones that came before it. Regardless, Pur- due's been recruiting junior college players and gradu- ate transfers annually trying to cover up those failings, with mixed results. Therein lies the importance of this signing group, the need to get promising young players in the pro- gram, develop them and allow nature to run its course as years go by and players ascend through the ranks. The offensive line is a position Brohm says he will Purdue's 2018 Class By Position Player Height Weight Hometown/School Quarterback Jack Plummer* 6-5 220 Gilbert, Ariz./Gilbert Wide Receiver Amad Anderson Jr.* 5-11 175 Staten Island, N.Y./Curtis Jordan Bonner 6-2 195 Carrollton, Ga./Carrollton Rondale Moore 5-9 175 New Albany, Ind./Louisville Trinity Kory Taylor 6-5 200 Hilliard, Ohio/Bradley Running Back Evan Anderson 6-1 200 Suwanee, Ga./Collins Hill Tight End Payne Durham 6-5 260 Suwanee, Ga./Peachtree Ridge Offensive Line Charles Allen (OG/C) 6-3 290 Louisville/Doss Will Bramel (OT) 6-6 280 Danville, Ky./Boyle County Jimmy McKenna (OT) 6-5 275 Avon, Ohio/Avon Eric Miller (OT) 6-7 270 Mason, Ohio/William Mason Defensive Line Jack Cravaack 6-5 225 Cincinnati/Madeira Branson Deen 6-3 255 Indianapolis/Lawrence Central Lawrence Johnson (DT) 6-4 300 Fort Wayne, Ind./Snider Jeff Marks* 6-3 255 Mobile, Ala./Davidson K.J. Stokes 6-3 250 Millbrook, Ala./Stanhope Elmore Jack Sullivan 6-5 255 Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield East Linebacker Jaylan Alexander 6-1 240 River Grove, Ill./Hoffman Estates Jack Smith 6-2 210 Lakeland, Fla./Lakeland Defensive Back Elijah Ball 6-1 200 Indianapolis/Ben Davis Byron Perkins 6-2 185 Chicago/De La Salle Jordan Rucker 6-0 190 Denton, Texas/Ryan Kadin Smith 6-0 195 Taylorsville, Ky./Spencer County Cory Trice 6-3 195 Hopkinsville, Ky./Christian County * Mid-year enrollee Impact Class, Purdue Hopes Jeff Brohm's first full class should find early opportunity Eric Miller, a tackle, has the size and athleticism Jeff Brohm is looking for.