Purdue football transfer portal: Former starting linebacker returns
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WEST LAFAYETTE − Kevin Kane’s return to Purdue football as defensive coordinator will come with seeing a familiar face.
Kane, who also coaches linebackers, will welcome the return of Hudson Miller, who confirmed his transfer with the Journal & Courier.
Miller started five games and played in 12 for the Boilermakers in 2024, recording 42 tackles, half a sack and breaking up two passes. Miller played 24 career games for Purdue before transferring to Toledo last season.
Miller had 10 tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery in 11 games with the Rockets.
Purdue had a busy weekend securing transfers, adding former UCF tight end Kylan Fox to the roster, along with Utah cornerback Donovan Saunders, Samford cornerback Dee Newsome and Iowa State receiver Xavier Townsend.
On Monday, Purdue lured Ivy Leaguer Bisi Owens, who caught 138 passes and 11 touchdowns over the past three seasons at Penn.
The Boilermakers also signed their fourth junior college transfer in receiver Ricky Sampson, who had 47 receptions for 606 yards and three touchdowns in nine games at Victor Valley College. Sampson joins safety Dax Noles and defensive lineman Jeremy Lewis Jr. from Iowa Western Community College along with Northeastern Oklahoma A&M safety Ta’Vari Hampton as JuCo additions.
The full list of incoming and outgoing players is below.
Transfer portal players committed to Purdue football
| Player | Pos. | Previous school | Notable |
| Micah Banuelos | G | USC | Played 11 games in 2025 |
| Mister Clark | DB | FIU | 63 tackles, 3 INT, 6.5 TFL in 2025 |
| Dylan Drennan | P | Buffalo | 44.8 yards per punt average in 2025 |
| Kylan Fox | TE | Central Florida | 16 rec., 137 yards, 1 TD in 2025 |
| Jerrick Gibson | RB | Texas | 115 car., 529 yards, 5 TD |
| Jojo Hayden | LB | Illinois | 26 tackles, 1.5 TFL in 2025 |
| Fame Ijeboi | RB | Minnesota | 495 yards, 3 TD in 2025 |
| Malik Knight | WR | Western Carolina | 47 rec., 774 yards, 7 TD in 2025 |
| Rodney Lora | DT | Central Florida | 22 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 1 sack in 2025 |
| Nuku Mafi | OT | Oklahoma State | 12 starts at tackle in 2025 |
| Jaden Mangham | S | Michigan | 30 tackles, 2 TFL in 2025 |
| Hudson Miller | LB | Toledo | 42 tackles as starter for Purdue in 2024 |
| Curt Neal | DT | Illinois | 61 career tackles at Wisconsin, Illinois |
| Dee Newsome | CB | Samford | 17 tackles, 5 PBU in 2025 |
| Bisi Owens | WR | Penn | 138 rec., 1,664 yards, 11 TD in 3 seasons |
| Makai Saina | OL | USC | |
| Donovan Saunders | CB | Utah | 2 PBU, 7 tackles in 2025 |
| Wisdom Simms | DT | N. Carolina Central | 5.5 TFL, 3 sacks in 2025 |
| Anthony Speca | LB | Penn State | 14 tackles in 17 games |
| Boaz Stanley | OL | South Carolina | 21 career starts |
| Travis Terrell | RB | Jackson State | 607 yards, 5 TD, 6.0 ypc in 2025 |
| Xavier Townsend | WR | Iowa State | 84 career rec., 764 yards, 4 TD |
| Asaad Waseem | WR | Florida Atlantic | 66 rec., 699 yards, 5 TD in 2025 |
Purdue football players entering the transfer portal
| Player | Pos. | 2025 impact | New school |
| Arhmad Branch | WR | 14 rec., 212 yards, 2 TD | USF |
| Chalil Cummings | CB | 3 tackles, 2 PBU | |
| Carson Dean | LB | 3 games | |
| Sanders Ellis | LB | 6 tackles, 0.5 sack | Bowling Green |
| Tyrell Green | OL | Left team in season | |
| Jamarrion Harkless | DT | 13 tackles, 2.5 sacks | Kentucky |
| Jimmy Johnsen | OL | DNP | |
| Bradyn Joiner | C | Started all 12 games | Florida State |
| Demeco Kennedy | DT | 21 tackles, 3 TFL, 1.5 sacks | Louisville |
| Jaheim Merriweather | RB | 5 games, 2 car., 4 yards | |
| Marcus Moore | DT | 2 tackles | |
| Hank Purvis | OL | 11 games, 7 starts at guard | South Carolina |
| John Randle Jr. | OL | 2 games | Utah State |
| Alex Sanford Jr. | LB | 46 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 1 FR | |
| Malachi Singleton | QB | 59.4%, 439 pass yds., 5 TD, 2 INT; 202 rush yds., 1 TD | Appalachian State |
| Justin Schmidt | LS | DNP | Pittsburgh |
| Sterling Smith | S | 12 games, 3 tackles | Ball State |
| Joey Sumlin | LB | DNP | |
| Jaron Thomas | RB | 2 carries, 15 yards | Minnesota |
| Nitro Tuggle | WR | 34 rec., 500 yards, 4 TD | South Carolina |
| Rico Walker | TE | 9 rec., 100 yards |
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue football transfer portal tracker
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