Portal Analysis: Defensive Line
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 line.
MORE POSITION ANALYSIS: Quarterbacks | Running backs | Tight ends/fullbacks | Offensive line | Receivers
DEFENSIVE LINE (3)
| Player, school |
| E Breeon Ishmail, Michigan |
| E/T TJ Lindsay, Auburn |
| E CJ Nunnally, Akron |
As with most positions on the roster, there are holes to fill with players like Damarjhe Lewis (SMU), Jeffrey M’Ba (SMU) and Cole Brevard (Texas) gone from the interior and Will Heldt (Clemson) gone from the edge. Plus, E Kydran Jenkins is out of eligibility, along with E Shitta Sillah, T Joe Anderson and Jireh Ojata.
Back on the edge are Trey Smith, Jamari Payne and C.J. Madden. The interior is better fortified with Caleb Irving, Drake Carlson, Jamarrion Harkless, Demeco Kennedy, Joe Strickland, Jamarius Dinkins and Mo Omonode.
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Bottom line: The need for ends is greater than the need for interior help.
E BREEON ISHMAIL, 6-3, 250
Ishmail got caught in a numbers game at Michigan, so he sought a quicker path to the field as an edge rusher. He’ll find just that at Purdue. He redshirted in 2023 and played in eight games last season for the Wolverines. He’ll have three years of eligibility.
E/T TJ LINDSEY, 6-3, 294
Perhaps no portal addition drips with as much potential as Lindsey, who appeared in just one game at Auburn in 2024 as a true freshman and redshirted. He could figure on the interior or the edge. Lindsey played at IMG Academy (Fla.) as a senior after starting his career at Bryant High School in Arkansas. He’ll have four years of eligibility.
E CJ NUNNALLY, 6-3, 240
He began his career in 2021 at FCS Jackson State in the SWAC, spent 2022 at Independence C.C. in Kansas and toiled at Akron the last two years. Got all that? This will be Nunnally’s final season. And he’ll be counted on to be an alpha off the edge.
MORE: Who jumped in the portal for Purdue? | Who is coming from the portal? | Purdue 2025 newcomer roster | GoldandBlack.com content hub: Welcome to the Barry Odom era
