Purdue's top five NFL prospects
Five former Purdue players heard their names called in the 2023 NFL Draft. Though it seems unlikely the Boilermakers will match that total in 2024, several players could play on Sundays. Today, GoldandBlack.com looks at five Purdue players who could earn a selection in the 2024 NFL Draft with a strong season this fall.
GARRETT MILLER
Purdue’s athletic tight end seemed prime to break out in 2022. He flashed a year prior, grabbing eight passes for 74 yards in Purdue’s upset win over a top-five Michigan State team. Many looked forward to seeing Purdue’s two-tight-end formations with Miller alongside Payne Durham.
It didn’t come to fruition, as Miller missed the entire season with an injury sustained early in fall camp. However, with Durham off to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it’s Miller’s time to shine at the tight end position. With his knee fully healed and a lack of proven pass catchers, Miller could see plenty of volume in Purdue’s new-look offense this fall.
As the NFL moves toward a more pass-happy approach, the value of tight ends as pass catchers has never been higher. If Miller can regain his pre-injury athleticism, he could put up a big year in 2023 and land on the radar of NFL scouts.
GUS HARTWIG
Similarly to Miller, Hartwig enters 2023 following a season-ending knee injury. Unlike Miller, however, Hartwig played in 11 games for Purdue last fall, hurting his knee in the penultimate regular season game against Northwestern.
Whether Hartwig will take the field for Purdue’s season-opener remains in question, as his knee needed a severe operation. He’s preparing to enter his fourth year as the starting center for the Boilermakers, however, and the team could really use his presence as the leader of the offensive line.
He put together a strong campaign in 2022, and if he’s fully healthy, he could find his way into the 2024 NFL Draft.
HUDSON CARD
While Card’s 194 career pass attempts don’t make him an obvious candidate for draft selection following this season, it’s reasonable to think a big year could present him with a tough decision to make.
The former highly-touted prospect never could take control of the competitive quarterback room at Texas, but the keys to Purdue’s offense now sit in the palm of his right hand. Graham Harrell’s offense figures to put Card in a position to put together a strong season, and the NFL will give a glance to any quarterback they feel could stick in the league.
It’s no secret that Purdue feels strongly about its quarterback. If their intuitions prove correct, could Card get early entry buzz following this season? It’s not out of the question.
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KYDRAN JENKINS
After back-to-back productive seasons, Jenkins will seek to go out with a bang in his final year as a Boilermaker. Over the past two years, he’s totaled 16 tackles for loss, nine of which came as sacks.
His 2021 season certainly came with the help of lining up on the other side of the line from George Karlaftis, but a solid 2022 season proved his ability. Now, in 2023, his role will raise some intrigue. Purdue’s pass rushers stand out as one of the deeper units on the roster, but Jenkins enters as the most accomplished of them all.
He could split reps with Nic Scourton and Khordae Sydnor, but if Jenkins can put together his best year yet in 2023, NFL teams could pay extra attention to him come Purdue’s pro day.
KHORDAE SYDNOR
The New Yorker is entering just his third season in West Lafayette, but he’s shown flashes of capability of playing at the next level.
College Football News named him as an honorable mention freshman All-American following his performance as a redshirt freshman, where he recorded four-and-a-half sacks. He specifically showed a flash in a big game, notching two of those in Purdue’s road win at Maryland against an NFL tackle in the Terps’ Jaelyn Duncan.
With a year of legitimate experience under his belt, the time is now for Sydnor to emerge. Standing 6-4 and weighing in at 265 pounds, the physical traits the NFL covets are already there. He should benefit from Ryan Walters’ aggressive defensive mindset, and if so, he may draw some interest as an early entrant to the NFL Draft.
