WEST LAFAYETTE − Prior to finding the next Purdue football coach, athletic director Mike Bobinski made it public knowledge the hire would not only be someone with a proven background, but also a coach who could rebuild a roster quickly through the transfer portal.
Barry Odom was the man tasked with doing so.
And now, the Boilermakers have a revamped roster that includes 28 transfers, nearly offsetting 29 transfer portal departures (so far).
Welcome to college football as it’s currently constructed.
Purdue football transfer portal tracker:Who’s in, who’s out for Boilers
After going 1-11 in 2024, Purdue can only trend up (you’d think). Which five transfers can make the most immediate impact in making sure that happens?
Purdue’s secondary was left depleted with six members who’d started all departing. Adding Grimes brings experience to a position group in need of a leader. Purdue will be his fourth stop (though he didn’t see the field at Texas A&M between three years at North Carolina and last season at UNLV). Grimes has played in 50 collegiate games and broken up 25 passes. In his four seasons playing, Grimes has helped lead teams to a bowl game each season with those UNC and UNLV teams compiling a combined 33-19 record.
Former Georgia rush end CJ Madden staying at Purdue was a big boost for an edge rushing unit that lost Shitta Sillah and Jireh Ojata to graduation and star in the making Will Heldt to Clemson. Adding Nunnally from Akron (plus Breeon Ishmail from Michigan and T.J. Lindsey from Auburn) softens the blow of those losses. After a dominant season at Independence Community College, Nunnally made an immediate impact with the Zips, earning first-team All-MAC in each of his two seasons. He had 121 tackles, including 27 for loss, and 13 sacks in two seasons.
Hudson Card is gone. Ryan Browne (North Carolina) is gone. Even Marcos Davila (Nebraska), who was expected to compete for the starting job after a redshirt year, is gone. Purdue added three quarterbacks from the portal and signed another. But Singleton looks most equipped to become the starter. He’s experienced playing in the SEC and piloted a win over College Football Playoff qualifier Tennessee. The dual-threat quarterback gives Purdue’s new-look offense under coordinator Josh Henson some flexibility.
Despite a solid group of experienced talent, offensive line play wasn’t a strong point for Purdue in 2024. With Gus Hartwig and Marcus Mbow likely to be on NFL rosters next season, and transfers of Mahamane Moussa (Louisville), DJ Wingfield (USC) and Jalen Grant (NC State), all that experience is gone. Vaccaro is a bit of a wildcard because he’s yet to play at the NCAA level, but he was the best offensive lineman in Canada’s collegiate scene last season. A left tackle as a freshman at the University of Manitoba and left guard the past three seasons, he’s played more college ball than the rest of his Purdue teammates.
Like the aforementioned Grimes, Wakley brings experience to the secondary. Purdue lost former All-American safety Dillon Thieneman (Oregon), who was essentially the face of the program. Antonio Stevens is in the portal and Joseph Jefferson transferred to Western Michigan. Wakley had three interceptions over the past two seasons at BYU with seven pass breakups and more than 100 tackles in 23 games. The Cougars went 11-2 last season.
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.
