Purdue Football: Position Groups

WEST LAFAYETTE, IN - OCTOBER 25: Purdue Boilermakers defensive lineman Ian Jeffries (40) tackles Rutgers Scarlet Knights running back Antwan Raymond (3) during the college football game between the Purdue Boilermakers and Rutgers Scarlet Knights on October 25, 2025, at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Note: I’m using the same intro for all of the articles in this series. Here are the links to the other articles in this series:

Quarterback

Tight End

Running Back

Offensive Tackle

Interior Offensive Line

Wide Receiver

The NCAA announced they are moving forward with a rule change that eliminates redshirts and allows five seasons of eligibility as long as you are enrolled by the time you’re 19. This, in part, was a reaction to the influx of European professionals into college basketball last season. It also clears up the eligibility issues regarding junior college recruits after Diego Pavia received an additional year of eligibility through a court injunction. In theory, these new rules will take effect for any player who enrolls on or after January 1, 2027, while players who enroll before next year will get whichever set of rules is most beneficial for them.

To boil that down to its essence, athletes who played as “true freshmen” under the old system will get an extra year of eligibility, and JuCo players who spend 2 years in JuCo get 3 seasons of eligibility instead of 3 seasons to play 2.

You can read the press release from the NCAA  here .

Defensive Tackle

# Name Pos Recruiting Class HS/JuCo/Portal Home State High School HS Rating Juco/Port JuCo/Port Rating Seasons at PU Eligibility Name 92 Curt Neal NG 22 Portal NC Cornelius 3*(88.5) Wisconsin/Illinois 3*(88) 0 1 Curt Neal 97 Wisdom Simms NG 22 Portal NC South Rowan NR W.Carolina/N.C. Central 3*(85.5) 0 2 Wisdom Simms 96 Jordan Cree DT 23 Portal IN Rensselaer Central NR Wabash NR 1 2 Jordan Cree 40 Ian Jeffries DT 23 Portal MS Southhaven 3*(82.6) Arkansas St. 3*(86) 1 2 Ian Jeffries 90 Elijah St. John DT 23 Portal FL Clearwater Academy Int. NR Long Island 3*(85) 1 2 Elijah St. John 98 Drake Carlson DT 23 HS TN Father Ryan 3*(87.5) NA NA 3 2 Drake Carlson 94 Rodney Lora DT 23 Portal NJ Woodberry Forest 3*(86.9) UNC/UCF 3*(86.5) 0 2 Rodney Lora 13 TJ Lindsey DT 24 Portal AR IMG Academy 3*(89.6) Auburn 3*(86.1) 1 3 TJ Lindsey 44 Kobe Cherry DT 26 HS IN Center Grove 3*(85.2) NA NA 0 5 Kobe Cherry 99 Josiah Hope NG 26 HS KY Josiah Hope 3*(89) NA NA 0 5 Josiah Hope

Eligibility Changes

I’m fairly certain Jordan Cree will receive an additional season after starting for Wabash as a true freshman.

Thoughts

Both of Purdue’s starting defensive tackles from 2025 escaped across the southern border. Jamarrion “Chops” Harkless will be playing for Kentucky in 2026, and Demeco Kennedy will be suiting up for Louisville. There’s a good chance both will start for their new teams this season. That’s obviously not ideal; Chops Harkless, in particular, has NFL potential, but keep in mind, Purdue has changed their defensive front. While the 6’3”, 345-pound Harkless is an immovable object in the center of the defensive line, it goes both ways. The other team can’t move him, but he’s not doing much moving either. His job is to take on double teams and let the linebackers make the tackles. That’s great in an odd-man front where he can play directly over the opposing center, but Kevin Kane isn’t going to run a 5-man line as he did under Ryan Walters. This time around, you’re going to see a more traditional 4-man line, which helps mitigate the loss of the Chops in the center of the defense. I expect the Boilermakers to be significantly more active with their defensive tackles in 2026.

Arkansas State transfer Ian Jeffries acquitted himself well last season as the third man in the defensive tackle rotation and returns as a probable starter at defensive tackle in 2026. The plan, as currently constituted, is for Jeffries to be paired with Auburn transfer TJ Lindsey. Lindsey garnered a significant amount of praise from the Purdue coaches in both spring and fall camp last season, only to see him blow a knee in the third game of the season. Lindsey is back in 2026, and assuming his knee is right, should slide directly into the starting lineup, giving Purdue two significantly more active defensive tackles anchoring the defense. That should allow the defensive line to run more twists and stunts in a bid to get into the opposing backfield and disrupt things up front. I’m not sure this is a talent upgrade, but it’s a fit upgrade, with the Walters’ 5-man front now completely in the rearview.

Last season, the Boilermakers wanted to run a 4-man rotation at defensive tackle, but it was cut to a 3-man rotation once Lindsey went down. Depth shouldn’t be a problem in 2026 after the coaching staff brought in Big 10 veteran Curt Neal and plucked Wisdom Simms from N.C. Central. The interesting thing about Simms and Neal is they both fit the nose guard profile, while Jeffries and Lindsey are more prototypical 3-technique defensive tackles who play in the gaps and look to penetrate. If Purdue needs additional beef on the field, Neal, at 6’0”, 310, and Simms, at 6’4”, 315, certainly fit the bill. Neal played with the first unit all spring with Lindsey still coming back from his knee injury, and the big man with 21 starts under his belt from his time at Wisconsin and Illinois may be difficult to dislodge. On paper, he’s the logical starter next to either Jeffries or Lindsey; that’s a position to monitor during camp. Whoever ends up starting, I anticipate Neal, Lindsey, and Jeffries to split snaps, with Simms stepping in as the 4th man in the rotation.

That said, Simms will need to secure the 4th spot in fall camp. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Purdue roll with 3 defensive tackles I mentioned above every game, while rotating the 4th spot between a few other players. ...

Indexed and credited by AIPROPX. Originating outlet: Yahoo Sports. Open at source →