Defensive End
#8 – CJ Madden: Jr. – 6-4, 275 – Ellenwood, Ga. (Georgia)
- #91 – CJ Nunnally IV: Sr. – 6-3, 265 Douglasville, Ga. (Akron)
Thoughts
Garrett:
This one’s to be expected; Madden was a big transfer portal snag for the Boilermakers. The defense may have fared a little better in 2024 if Madden hadn’t gone down with an injury early in the season; now he gets a chance to show everyone why he was a 4* recruit in high school.
Drew:
Madden could have left town with the rest of the defectors after Ryan Walters was sent packing, and no one would have blamed him. Instead, he stuck
it out and will not only be a starter but a team captain for Purdue this season. Out of curiosity, I went back to check out CJ’s height and weight as a freshman in 2022.
He was listed at 6’4”, 230 in 2022
He checked in at 6’4”, 275 in 2025.
Nunnally has the most playing experience in the front four and will find his way into the rotation for Purdue. Last season at Akron he was first team All-Mac with 65 tackles, 15.5 tackles-for-loss, and seven sacks. I have him as the third defensive end and wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up with roughly the same number of snaps as the starters.
Defensive Tackle
13 TJ Lindsey R-Fr. DL 6-3 310 Little Rock, Ark. (Auburn)
- Demeco Kennedy So. DL 6-2 305 Lexington, Ky. (Frederick Douglass)
Thoughts
Drew:
Lindsey, like Madden, was considered a four-star prospect coming out of high school. He signed with Auburn, played a game, and then caught the first train to West Lafayette to join Barry Odom. It sounds like the coaches think he has legit NFL talent as a disruptive defensive tackle with enough athletic ability to move outside and play defensive end in certain situations.
He reminds me of Clemson’s Peter Woods in that regard, and Woods is predicted to be a top 5 pick in the 2026 NFL draft. I’m not saying that’s in TJ’s future, but big men who move like little men tend to be in constant demand on the next level.
If you want to know what Lindsey is at Purdue, check out where he went to high school.
Demeco Kennedy appeared in nine games as a true freshman last season and recorded six tackles. That’s not bad experience for an interior defensive lineman. He’s another player who could have gone elsewhere but decided to stick it out with Coach Odom.
Nose Guard
#97 – Jamarrion Harkless: So. – 6-3, 345 – Lexington, Ky. (Frederick Douglas)
- #55 – Jamarius Dinkins: Sr. – 6-5, 305 – Columbus, Ohio (Kentucky)
Thoughts
Drew:
Chops Harkless is approximately the size of the tool shed in my back yard, and I’m going to assume he is equally hard to move. If you’re going to stop the run, you need to control the “A” gaps. Harkless will require a double if you want to run between the tackles against Purdue.
Dinkins is another holdover from the Walters era. In a weird bit of trivia, Dinkins has recorded exactly nine tackles in 2022, 2023, and 2024. It would be nice if he cracked double digits in his final season of college football.
Defensive End
#23 – Trey Smith: So. – 6-4, 255 – Apopka, Fla. (Illinois)
- #58 – Breeon Ishmail: So. – 6-4, 270 – Cincinnati, Ohio (Michigan)
Thoughts
Drew:
Trey came over late in the transfer portal from Illinois last season and decided to hang around town (a common theme with this defensive line, much to Purdue’s benefit. Look for Smith to try and use his speed off the backside while Madden anchors the strong side of the field.
Smith recorded two tackles last season. Purdue needs him to play a starring role in 2025. The coaching staff seems to think he’s up to it. No idea if it will work. We’ll have to watch together. If Smith and Madden live up to the hype, Purdue’s defense may be a quicker rebuild than people anticipated.
Ishmail is a Michigan transfer with intriguing size and athletic ability who couldn’t get on the field enough for the Wolverines to turn those tools into production. Opportunity shouldn’t be a problem at Purdue. If he’s got the juice, the Boilermaker coaching staff will squeeze it.
Linebacker
#16 – Mani Powell: Sr. – 6-2, 230 – Columbus, Ohio (UNLV)
- #10 – Alex Sanford Jr.: Jr. – 6-1, 232 – Oxford, Miss. (Arkansas)
Thoughts
Drew:
Powell returns to the Midwest after spending three years in the desert and is ready to anchor Purdue’s defense. Linebacker is the premier position in Barry Odom’s scheme. They’re going to do everything possible to keep Powell clean and let him make plays. Last season at UNLV, his running buddy at linebacker, Jackson Woodard, put up 135 combined tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, four interceptions, and received credit for a team-high 12 passes defended. Powell did most of the dirty work in terms of taking on blocks and still came away with 59 tackles, tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks. I doubt he gets close to Woodard’s absurd numbers, but it sure would be nice if he got close.
Sandford is another one of Coach Odom’s Arkansas connections. He was a key member of the Arkansas kick coverage units over the last two seasons and is looking for some snaps on defense in 2025.
#5 – Charles Correa: So.- 6-3, 230 – Kuli’ou’ou, Hawaii (UNLV)
- #6 – Sanders Ellis: So. – 6-2, 240 – Nashville, Tenn. (Tennessee State)
Thoughts
Drew:
Initially, I thought this would be Sanders Ellis, but it sounds like Correa’s experience in the defense at UNLV won out in camp. It still could be Ellis (remember this is Garrett and my best guess, not an official depth chart) but my money is on Correa, at least until Ellis gets a few more practices under his belt. Last season at UNLV he recorded 16 tackles and two tackles for loss. Can he step into the Manni Powell role from last season and let Manni have more freedom, or is he the stand in for Woodard in this defense with Powell keeping the same role he played last season at UNLV?
We’ll all learn the answer together on Saturday.
I mentioned Ellis already, and in terms of upside, the Tennessee State transfer may have the highest on the defense (my money is still on Lindsey). He had 82 tackles for the Eddie George-led Tennessee State team last season, including 15.5 tackles for loss and two and a half sacks on his way to being named the OVC Freshman of the Year. He’s taking a big step up in class, and it may take him a season to digest everything, but go back and look at his tape. Once he gets this figured out, Purdue could have something at linebacker.
Nickel
#24 – An’Darius Coffey: Sr. – 5-10, 203 – Winona, Miss. (Memphis)
- #3 – Sterling Smith: Jr. – 6-1, 198 – Indianapolis, Ind. (Holy Cross)
Thoughts
Garrett:
Coffey was very experienced at Memphis and will spend his final year of eligibility for the Boilers. He’s the starter without a doubt. I see him being one of the key transfers in an already transfer-heavy defense. As for Smith, a lot of upside for the rising junior who’s really only played at Holy Cross. His size is ideal at the nickel. We’ll just have to wait and see how he can hold up against conference opponents.
Drew:
Coffey has had an interesting football career. He was a high school quarterback in Mississippi before signing with Memphis in the 2020 class. He started his college career as a kick returner and special teamer in 2020, missed the 2021 season with an injury, transitioned to running back in 2022 as a sophomore, and then moved to defensive back in 2023, where he finally stuck.
He has started at defensive back in nine games over the last two seasons and was named a Purdue captain coming out of camp.
Stu Smith was the talk of the spring, but he has dealt with some injuries in fall camp. It will be interesting to see if he can regain the momentum he had when some people had him penciled in as a starter. He apparently gets high marks in the team leadership category.
Cornerback
#0 – Tony Grimes: Sr. – 6-2, 195 – Virginia Beach, Va. (UNLV)
Thoughts
Drew:
I feel like I’ve covered Tony Grimes for over a decade. I wrote about him for the Clemson site in 2019 when the Tigers and Tarheels were fighting it out for the services of the former 5* defensive back. He’s had a long and winding career that saw him leave UNC after the 2022 season, after a decent but disappointing career. More was expected out of Tony than an All-ACC Honorable mention season as a sophomore in 2023.
He took some sweet, sweet A&M cash. Got injured in spring camp and then got lost in the shuffle in College Station. He didn’t appear in a single game for A&M.
Barry Odom went back and looked at his UNC tape, liked what he saw from the rangy corner, and offered a shot at redemption in the desert. Grimes started all 13 games and was the Rebels’ top cover man. We don’t have any other defensive back listed at this spot because he’s clearly DB1 for this team.
Strong Safety
#9 – Myles Slusher: Sr. – 6-0, 195 – Broken Arrow, Okla. (Colorado) OR
#7 – Crew Wakley: Sr. – 6-0, 202 – Sandy, Utah (BYU)
Thoughts
Drew:
Barry Odom’s time in Arkansas must have been magical, because all roads appear to lead back to Fayetteville for the new head Boilermaker. Slusher’s best season was in 2021 with Barry Odom as the defensive coordinator. He put up 50 tackles, two interceptions, and broke up four passes. Without Odom, he’s accumulated 45 tackles and zero interceptions and has only appeared in 10 games. Last season at Colorado, he only put in a 4-game shift (which is good for Purdue because it gives him two years in West Lafayette). A return to his 2021 Arkansas would be a huge lift for the defense.
Senior (citizen) Crew Wakely joins him in Purdue’s defensive backfield. He’s another player looking to put a weak 2024 season behind him and get back to his 2023 form when he put up 59 tackles, four tackles for loss, an interception, and defended six passes. The former door-to-door solar panel salesman is 25, married, and honestly, doesn’t have time for your foolishness.
The very definition of maturity in the secondary.
Free Safety
#21 – Tahj Ra-El: Sr. – 6-2, 208 – Charlotte, N.C. (Memphis) OR
#2 – Richard Toney Jr.: Sr. – 6-0, 195 – Arlington, Texas (TCU)
Thoughts
Garrett:
Hard to tell with two transfers and how they fit into a new defensive-minded head coach’s scheme, but both of these guys are great size for FS and have solid experience at other schools. Toney had less experience at TCU than in his breakout year at Nevada, but he’s played a lot of football. Ra-El was dynamite at Old Dominion but saw less playing time at Memphis. Either way, I see this one being a battle all season.
Drew:
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but Toney and Ra-El are both looking to bounce back to their 2023 form. As a sophomore at Nevada in 2023, he had 67 tackles and two interceptions. In 2024 at TCU, he had nine tackles in limited action.
Ra-El had 84 tackles, 5.5 tackles-for-loss, and six pass breakups as a junior at Old Dominion in 2023. Then he transferred to Memphis in 2024, and things went off the rails. He played in four games before deciding Memphis was not for him, entered the transfer portal, was accused of texting the Memphis playbook to the UTSA quarterback (Purdue doesn’t seem concerned), and will now look to finish off his college career with a short and productive stint with the Boilermakers.
Cornerback
#4 Hudauri Hines: So. – 6-1, 200 – Indianapolis, Ind. (Franklin Central) OR
#12 – Ryan Turner: Jr. – 6-0, 195 – Broward County, Fla. (Boston College)
Thoughts
Garrett:
Another “OR” for now, but I could see either guy stepping up. Either way, they’ll almost certainly be “tried out” again in the first two weeks. Whoever looks the best against Ball State and Southern Illinois should get the nod against USC in week 3.
Drew:
Barry Odom doesn’t like scrawny corners. You’ll find most of his defensive backs in the 6’0”, 200-pound range (someone get Ryan Turner a couple of Duane Purvis burgers). Hines is a holdover from the Walers era, and Turner is on this third team after starting his college career with two uneventful seasons at Ohio State before transferring to Boston College.
In his only year in Chesnut Hill, Turner had 13 tackles, two tackles-for-loss, a sack, an interception, and four pass breakups. He played a pivotal role in Boston College’s 41-21 upset win over North Carolina when he returned an interception for 78 yards and a touchdown and came up with a sack.
Hines played in the final eight games of the 2025 season for Purdue as a true freshman and recorded five tackles, including one for loss. The Purdue coaches love the physical way he plays the position. I anticipate seeing a good bit of Turner and Hines opposite Grimes this season.
