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p r e s e n t s f o o t b a l l r e c r u i t i n g Holding It Down Hazell's attention turns immediately to recruiting BY BRIAN NEUBERT BNeubert@GoldandBlack.com P urdue's recruiting efforts for the Class of 2013 are up and running again now that Darrell Hazell's gotten established in his new post as the Boilermakers' head coach. The first order of business has been for Purdue's new leader to get an audience with some of those recruits already committed to the program, particularly those in Indiana and especially those slated to enroll early. So that meant quick in-home visits to quarterback recruit Danny Etling in Terre Haute and running back David Yancey in Northwest Indiana. "He seemed like a really great guy and a great coach," said Etling, generally considered the jewel among Purdue's commitments thus far, "and those two things together, it really makes you want to play for somebody like that." Etling will do just that. The Rivals.com four-star QB never really opened his recruitment in a traditional sense, but he did keep an open mind following Danny Hope's dismissal, more so because he wanted to make certain Purdue's new coach — whoever it turned out to be — wanted him. That was what he wanted to know most from Hazell, who quickly eased his concerns. "The main thing he talked about was that I'm his guy for this class, just like Coach Hope had told me," Etling said. "They're only taking one (quarBrian Neubert Quarterback Danny Etling re-affirmed his commitment to Purdue after an in-home visit with new Boilermaker coach Darrell Hazell. 2013 FOOTBALL COMMITMENTS Name PositionHeightWeight Hometown/School Leroy Clark DB 5-10 170 Miami/Archbishop Carroll Thumbnail: One of Purdue's top defensive targets, Clark actually committed to the Boilermakers when they were between coaches, lured in by the school's academic reputation. Oklahoma and West Virginia were among those to also offer scholarships. Danny Etling QB 6-3 200 Terre Haute, Ind./South Thumbnail: The highest-ranked of Purdue's recruits, the QB is rated as a four-star prospect by Rivals.com and as one of the better pro-style quarterbacks nationally. Danny Ezechekwu LB 6-2 235 Lithonia, Ga./Arabia Mountain Thumbnail: One of the many linebacker/defensive end hybrid recruits being sought by Hope's staff, Ezechekwu could be a middle linebacker or he could be a lineman. Keyante Green RB 5-9 190 McDonough, Ga./Eagles Landing Christian Thumbnail: An undersized but tough and aggressive running back, Green was a coveted recruit for Hope who Hazell will obviously want to hang on to. That won't be a concern. Ra'Zahn Howard DT 6-4 305 Asbury Park, N.J./Atlanta (Ga.) Sports Academy Thumbnail: A huge and athletic defensive tackle, Howard has looked at other schools in recent weeks but seems bound for Purdue, where he'll enroll early at a position where the Boilermakers need to bolster their ranks. TyVel Jemison DB 5-10 175 Fort Wayne, Ind./Bishop Luers Thumbnail: One of the top defensive backs in Indiana from one of the state's top programs, Jemison has been more or less committed to the Boilermakers all year. He can play corner or safety. Dwayne JohnsonOT 6-6 275 Houston/Bellaire Thumbnail: The lone true offensive lineman in the class thus far, Johnson is a long and rangy tackle who'll need to get bigger and stronger. Austin Logan S 6-1 185 Tallahassee, Fla./Florida Thumbnail: A true safety, Logan was a sought-after recruit who committed to Purdue very early. He fielded nightly phone calls from Hazell for a solid week and will receive and a visit from the new coach early next month. Myles Norwood WR 6-2 175 Fort Worth, Texas/Grace Prep Thumbnail: Norwood's the only receiver in the class thus far, though he could also project as a safety. Jake Replogle DE 6-4 230 Centerville, Ohio/Centerville Thumbnail: The brother of two Indiana players, Replogle is a high school linebacker who'll probably either move to defensive end in college or grow into a tackle. John Strauser LB/DE 6-4 235 Champaign, Ill./St. Thomas More Thumbnail: Much like Replogle, Strauser is a multi-positional type who comes from solid football stock. His uncle is Pitt coach Paul Chryst. He'll enroll at Purdue in January. Johnny Thompson LB 6-2 210 Winder, Ga./Apalachee Thumbnail: Another linebacker who can either play standing up or work his way toward the defensive line. David Yancey RB 5-11 200 Saint John, Ind./Lake Central Thumbnail: One of the top recruits in the class, Yancey is a highly regarded running back who fielded an offer from Wisconsin, among others. He'll enroll early, good news since Purdue needs help at running back. 28 • Gold & Black IllustrateD • volume 23, issue 3 GBIprint.com GoldandBlack.com