Defensive back becomes first Purdue football player to enter portal
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WEST LAFAYETTE − The first transfer portal entry from Purdue football came on Tuesday morning.
Junior defensive back Sterling “Stu” Smith announced on X he will enter the portal on Jan. 2.
Smith maintains two years of eligibility.
Smith joined the Boilermakers as a preferred walk-on for the 2024 season, transferring from Holy Cross and moving closer to home. The Indianapolis native played high school football at Cathedral.
Smith did not see the field in 2024. Last spring, Smith switched from No. 46 to No. 3, indicating a bigger role moving forward. At the time, Smith was repping with Purdue’s first team defense. He played in 12 games in 2025, mostly on special teams, and recorded three tackles.
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue football defensive back says he’ll enter transfer portal
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