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GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 28, ISSUE 5 31 BY ALAN KARPICK AKarpick@GoldandBlack.com R yan Kerrigan was always a quick study. After all, the former Boilermaker defensive end made his way from a three-star high school pros- pect from Muncie to a first-team All-American in the span of four years at Purdue. In the NFL, his ascension as a player has continued, as the converted linebacker has become an All-Pro-level player in seven years with the Washington Redskins. So it is not surprising that Kerrigan was named to the 2018 Purdue Hall of Fame class, a group that will be inducted May 10 in Indianapolis. His eight-year lead time between his days as a Boilermaker star to Purdue immortality is the fastest of any team-sport player in the 24-year history of the school's Hall of Fame. "That is what made it so meaningful to me is that I am not too far removed from my playing days and I was chosen," Kerrigan said in mid-April. "That definitely means a lot to me. "Purdue is a place that is near and dear to my heart and always will be. It is the place that I had the best four years of my life. To be considered among the best athletes to come through Purdue means a lot to me. It is really a cool honor." Kerrigan, about as humble a star as one could ever imagine, was also unique in another way. He was a rarity, in that he never expected a pro career when he came to Purdue. There aren't many incom- ing freshman who can make that claim. "I never did envision all of this coming out of high school because I never really thought about the NFL," Kerrigan said. "That seemed like a far-fetched idea. My mindset coming in was to play the best I could for four years and then graduate and join the workforce. When I sit back and think about it, it is pretty crazy." Quick Turnaround PRESENTS: PURDUE'S GREATEST STORIES, TRADITIONS AND PEOPLE Route 66 Diner and Triple XXX Family Restaurants salute Ryan Kerrigan for his induction into the 2018 Purdue Athletics Hall of Fame. We have celebrated his feats on and off the football field with the Ryan Kerrigan, our first ½ lb burger smothered with our Famous Triple XXX Chili. Indiana's Oldest Drive-In On the Hill, But on the Level Since 1929 Triplexxxfamilyrestaurant.com Washington Redskins Ryan Kerrigan has been successful wherever he has been and is enjoying a standout career with the Washington Redskins. Kerrigan headlines 2018 Hall of Fame class