Portal Analysis: Defensive backs

The portal additions have come fast and furious this winter for Purdue, as new coach Barry Odom has been busy building a roster for his maiden team.

The current portal addition count for Purdue: 29. More players will be added in the spring when a second portal window opens April 16-25.

Who has Purdue added thus far? GoldandBlack.com takes a position-by-position look. Next up: Defensive backs.

MORE POSITION ANALYSIS: Quarterbacks | Running backs | Tight ends/fullbacks | Offensive line | Receivers | Defensive line | Linebackers

DEFENSIVE BACK (6)

Player, school

CB Chad Brown, Nevada

CB Tony Grimes, UNLV

S Tahj Ra-El, Memphis

S Richard Toney, TCU

CB Ryan Turner, Boston College

S Crew Wakley, BYU

No position underwent more portal tumult than defensive back. When the dust settled, Purdue saw 10 D-backs transfer: CB Botros Alisandro (Old Dominion); S Koy Beasley (Miami of Ohio); CB Kyndrich Breedlove (Arizona State); S Anthony Brown (South Alabama); CB Tarrion Grant (Texas Tech); CB Nyland Green (Arizona State); S Joseph Jefferson (Western Michigan); CB Derrick Rogers, Jr. (Florida Atlantic); S Antonio Stevens (TBD); S Dillon Thieneman (Oregon).

Got all that?

The new Purdue staff responded by adding six defensive backs during the first portal window, importing three cornerbacks and three safeties. Will more be brought in during the spring portal window?

The best of the new defensive backs figures to be BYU S Crew Wakley and UNLV CB Tony Grimes, who seemingly will have good shots to start. Honestly, all six of the new d-backs are veterans who will have a good opportunity to earn a starting spot in a decimated secondary.

CHAD BROWN, 6-1, 185

Where were you in 2019? That’s when Brown began his college career, at Fresno City College in California. He played two seasons at Fresno CC and then four at Nevada. Now, Brown is poised to play a stupefying seventh season of college ball. He’s a big corner who has been productive, playing in 28 games at Nevada. He was not a starter for the Wolf pack until last season. Brown will have one year of eligibility.

TONY GRIMES, 6-2, 190

Possibly Purdue’s top portal addition, Grimes was a five-star recruit who signed with North Carolina and re-classified from the Class of 2021 to the Class of 2022. He played three years and 36 games (28 starts) at UNC and then transferred to Texas A&M, where he didn’t play due to injury in 2023. Grimes then moved to UNLV last season, where he was a stalwart at cornerback who started 13 games. He has one year of eligibility.

TAHJ RA-EL, 6-2, 192

He played his first two seasons at Old Dominion, taking part in 23 games with 15 starts at safety. Ra-El transferred to Memphis last year and played in four games. He got kicked off the team in the summer for a few disciplinary things, then came back right before the start of the season because Memphis’ projected starting safety got hurt. Ra-El played well when he came back. He’s a physical presence at safety and is a solid tackler. Ra-El has one year of eligibility.

RICHARD TONEY, 6-0, 195

The TCU transfer brings size and experience to the safety spot. Toney spent one year with the Horned Frogs, tallying nine tackles and a pass breakup in 2024 in nine games. Prior to his one year stay in Fort Worth, Texas, Toney played three seasons at Nevada (2021-23), where he had 67 tackles, four tackles for loss, and a pair of interceptions returned for touchdowns. He played in 19 games with nine starts in Reno. Toney has one year of eligibility.

RYAN TURNER, 6-0, 191

A four-star recruit, Turner inked with Ohio State, where he played in five games from 2022 and 2023 before transferring to Boston College. In his one season on The Heights, Turner played in nine games with two starts at cornerback. He’ll have two years of eligibility.

CREW WAKLEY, 6-0, 200

Wakley played his first two seasons at Utah State before matriculating to BYU in 2023 after he went on a Mormon mission in 2022. The last two seasons in Provo, Wakley played in 23 games at safety and made 16 starts with 103 tackles and three interceptions. The 24-year-old Wakley, who is married, has one year of eligibility.

MORE: Who jumped in the portal for Purdue? | Who is coming from the portal? | GoldandBlack.com content hub: Welcome to the Barry Odom era