What It Means: 7-footer Daniel Jacobsen's commitment to Purdue

Friday evening, Purdue basketball landed another high-end addition to its 2024 class, as former 2025 target — he reclassified up a year — Daniel Jacobsen picked the Boilermakers over Wisconsin, among others.

The 7-foot-2 center currently at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire is Purdue’s fifth commitment for 2024.

Here are some thoughts and bits of perspective on what Purdue’s addition of yet another 7-footer means.

ANOTHER CHANCE TO DEVELOP A GREAT ONE

Purdue has a sterling reputation for developing big men, largely because it uses them more than anyone and essentially forces them to improve. Matt Painter, Brandon Brantley, et al, have more experience working with these towers than anyone and have crafted systems and styles of play accordingly.

Jacobsen is an awesome combination of height, length, skill and functionality now. He’s young for his grade and will come to Purdue with a year less of playing experience than his peers, plus a frame to really add size and strength, while developing even more athletically by stream-lining his movement even more and just continuing to grow into his body. Such things are almost always processes for these really tall guys.

The moral of the story: The up-side here would seem immense and no one has cashed in big men’s potential in recent years better than Purdue.

IS PURDUE DONE IN 2024?

Nope.

Gicarri Harris is the last piece of the puzzle, as the long-standing Boilermaker target remains uncommitted even though his visit slate ended weeks ago and his stated commitment timeframe of “mid-October” has come and gone.

Purdue needs Harris for a variety of reasons, as reflected by its continued commitment to him.

Yes, Purdue is being very aggressive with its scholarships and may delve into over-sign waters here, but Jacobsen — remember, he was a 2025 priority long before 2024 even came into the picture — was that important and Harris is that important.

EVERYBODY CAN SHOOT

If Purdue gets Gicarri Harris, it will go 6-for-6 on 2024 recruits who can shoot the three.

Kanon Catchings and Jack Benter are excellent multi-level shooters, as guard CJ Cox would seem to be, too. Bigs Raleigh Burgess and Jacobsen are outstanding shooters for their positions.

You know how hard it is nowadays to sign six guys without one of them being a deficient shooter? We’ll see what happens with Harris, but Purdue may be on the verge of pulling it off.

PURDUE IS PERPETUALLY AHEAD IN RECRUITING

Purdue gets a lot of its guys in recruiting wrapped up quick, which often puts it a step ahead of the field on future classes. This advantage will only amplify now that the modern college basketball recruiting world seems to be putting less and less advance work into underclassmen these days.

In this case, having Catchings, Benter and Burgess wrapped up by the start of July allowed Painter and staff to zero in on its few remaining 2024 targets, but also be all over the 2025 class, of which Jacobsen was a member up until early to mid fall, essentially.

This reminds, too: Purdue is absolutely committed to building through the high school and prep ranks, banking on continuity, chemistry and player development in an era when so many are building through the transfer wire.

Purdue will have no choice at times but to supplement through the portal, but it will not build teams that way.

There’s no right way or wrong way to win. There are different ways. Purdue is wholly committed to its way.