Where Purdue football's offense stands with transfer portal additions
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Purdue football retained the most visible player in its offense while revamping multiple other positions over the past month.
It appears the Boilermakers are set at quarterback with entirely returnees, including starter Ryan Browne, or incoming freshmen. At most of the other 11 spots, they are banking on a wave of incoming players to jolt what was a bottom-five Big Ten offense last season.
While players needed to submit their name to the portal by midnight Friday, they can still join teams in the days ahead.
The breakdown below focuses on known scholarship players, with a few exceptions. It also does not account for freshmen, whose readiness to compete on Day 1 is difficult to gauge in January.
Instead, we focused on where Purdue lost and added production and experience in the roster retention and transfer portal addition portions of the postseason.
Purdue quarterbacks
Returning: Ryan Browne (12 starts), Bennett Meredith (1 start), Evans Chuba, Garyt Odom
Departing: Malachi Singleton
Arriving: Purdue coach Barry Odom said on signing day the Boilermakers’ activity in this room would depend on how many of their six scholarship quarterbacks (which includes freshman Corin Berry) opted to leave. Only Singleton did, which meant adding another quarterback would have further tilted both scholarship and, presumably, revenue share allocation to a single position.
Purdue and Browne re-committed to each other early in the retention process. The strategy here banks on both improvement from the incumbent starter and raising the talent level at the other 21 positions. Browne ranked 17th among qualifying Big Ten starters in pass efficiency rating. The guys ranked 11th, 12th, 13th and 15th went to bowl games.
How competitive, though, will that position be between now and the start of the season? Singleton was clearly the second-best option last season. Even if Browne does not need roster competition to aid his development, quarterbacks do miss games. Does Purdue have a second Big Ten-caliber starting quarterback on this roster?
Browne proved his instincts and mettle as a pure football player in 2025. He must refine his quarterback performance in 2026. At the same time, from coaching staff changes to portal focus, Purdue’s attempted running game revamp could benefit him as much as anyone.
Purdue running backs
Returning: Antonio Harris (2 starts, 69 carries in 2025)
Departing: Jaron Thomas, Jaheim Merriweather
Arriving: Jerrick Gibson, Texas (139 snaps in 2024-25); Fame Ijeboi, Minnesota (1 start, 99 career snaps vs. P4); Travis Terrell, Jackson State (176 carries in two seasons)
Obviously the biggest departure actually is Devin Mockbee. His graduation also created the greatest opportunity in the portal. Purdue could offer transfer prospects more than an opportunity for playing time. It could offer a showcase role.
That should have appealed to players with proven production yet limited opportunity elsewhere – and it did. Most of Gibson’s Longhorns production came in nonconference games. Exactly half his 200 career yards against power conference opponents came in one 2024 game against Florida. Still, he’s a former four-star, top-120 prospect, with explosive upside.
He and Ijeboi hold similar career yards per carry averages (4.3) against power conference opponents. Ijeboi also saw more usage as a receiver out of the backfield. While Terrell is leveling up, he also averaged 6.02 yards per carry and rushed for nine touchdowns in 23 games, including 80 yards on 10 carries against FBS Southern Miss last season.
Don’t forget Izaiah Wright, who picked Purdue over several other Power Four offers, coming in with the freshman class. Add Harris back into the mix and the competition for snaps could be intense. The program simply hasn’t had enough positions deep with Big Ten talent the past couple of seasons. Here's one room which has solidified top to bottom.
Purdue wide receivers
Returning: Chauncey Magwood, De’Nylon Morrissette, Jalil Hall, Jesse Watson (26 targets), Corey Smith (30 targets).
Departing: Arhmad Branch (4 starts, 25 targets), Nitro Tuggle (12 starts, 70 targets).
Arriving: Bisi Owens, Penn (26 FCS starts in three seasons, 11 TDs, 12.1 avg.); Xavier Townsend, Iowa State (UCF 2022-23: 11 starts; ISU 2024-25: three starts, 193 snaps), Asaad Waseem, FAU (seven starts, 145 snaps in 2025).
Branch and Tuggle both tantalized and frustrated in 2025. Perhaps their next step will further shed light on why neither became a consistent performer.
Nevertheless, this position group needed to upgrade its talent, consistency and explosiveness even if everyone returned. Purdue so far has added only one high-major talent in that endeavor.
Townsend started his career with UCF, with Purdue quarterbacks coach Darin Hinshaw on staff. He brings conference championship and bowl game experience, as well as 416 yards and three touchdowns on 49 career receptions against Power Four opponents. He’ll also be in the mix to replace Michael Jackson III in the return game.
Waseem’s production improved over the course of his second FAU season. He totaled 426 yards on 48 receptions over his final seven games. Owens’ stint as a regular starter in the Ivy League included three 100-yard games.
Smith and Watson combined to play 477 offensive snaps last season, but like many in the group, struggled with drops. Injury cut short the other three returnees’ seasons. Victor Valley College’s Ricky Sampson totaled 606 yards and three touchdowns on 47 receptions at the junior college level.
One upside to the new transfer portal format is the quarterbacks and receivers, even the brand new ones, will have eight months of reps together prior to the season opener. As much as this offense needs game-breaking talent, it might need reliability more.
Purdue offensive line
Returning: Joey Tanona (12 starts), Ethan Trent (six starts), Marc Nave Jr., Mason Vicari, Rocco Daly, Marques Easley, Jude McCoskey (48 snaps), Max Parrott
Departing: Bradyn Joiner (12 starts), Hank Purvis (seven starts), Jimmy Johnsen, John Randle,
Arriving: Micah Banuelos, USC (five starts, 402 snaps); Nuku Mafi, Oklahoma State (12 starts, 755 snaps); Makai Saina, USC; Boaz Stanley, South Carolina (nine starts, 606 snaps); Jatavius Shivers, South Carolina (210 snaps 2024-25).
Going into the season finale, Purdue was poised to potentially bring back three-fifths of that night’s starting O-line. Only Tanona stuck around. Trent also started the first half of last season.
Graduation and transfer departures, though, left this room thin on proven Big Ten talent. Along with the firing of Vance Vince and hire of Zach Crabtree, this qualifies as an overhaul for 2026.
Purdue found power conference starting experience in Banuelos, Mafi and Stanley. None of the five incoming linemen, though, posted a PFF grade higher than 53.9, and only one posted a run- or pass-block grade higher than 60 (Stanley, 60.6 run block). You can quibble with PFF grades – and I’ve quibbled plenty – but Purvis (62.8) and Joiner (62.3) were the line’s highest-ranked starters last season.
However, Saina was also a four-star, top-400 prospect out of high school. Offensive coordinator Josh Henson and Crabtree both worked with him and Banuelos at USC. All five portal additions come in with varying baselines of power conference experience.
Competition for offensive line bodies is fierce and, therefore, expensive. Players with even modest success can do very well for themselves on the open market. Purdue’s long-term answer here must come from within –locating high-upside high school targets and developing them. That focus was evident in the 2026 signing class.
It may also need to be evident on the field this fall. Will some of last season’s additions and holdovers push for snaps?
Purdue tight ends
Returning: George Burhenn (138 snaps, four games), Luca Puccinelli, Jon Grimmett
Departing: Rico Walker (one start, 146 snaps)
Arriving: Kylan Fox, UCF (five starts)
Burhenn has 120 yards and a touchdown on 11 receptions over three games against Power Four opponents. One came in 2023, and two came last season. Whatever Purdue wanted to do strategically at this position this offseason, its greatest hope must be Burhenn finally encountering some good fortune.
No receiving option emerged to replace Burhenn following his injury at Notre Dame. Walker tantalized with his size and flashes of talent, but couldn’t put the whole package together. Puccinelli had played only once all season before catching three passes in the Bucket Game. Grimmett redshirted as a freshman also dealing with injury.
Fox totaled 137 receptions and a touchdown on 16 receptions as a part-time starter at UCF. In the best-case scenario, he or someone else emerges as a second whole-package threat alongside Burhenn.
Purdue kicker
Returning: Seth Turner, Jack Weeter
Departing: Spencer Porath (HM All-Big Ten)
Arriving: None
Porath’s transfer to Notre Dame came as a surprise due to its timing and under-the-radar nature. In reality, he was likely this roster’s most coveted target by playoff- or championship-aspirant programs who sought an upgrade to help put them over the top.
Problem is, Porath’s consistency in the kicking game enhanced Purdue’s chances of winning more games, too. He beat out Turner for the job in preseason camp. Turner handled all of the kickoffs, but has yet to attempt a field goal in a game either here or at UConn. Weeter, a walk-on from Brebeuf, did not play in his first two years.
Perhaps this is a position where Purdue will seek a late high school signee or walk-on option. It will be a shame if advances in other facets are undercut by kicking inconsistency. At the same time, this is the extended tax programs pay in the long trip back from rock bottom.
Purdue long snapper
Returning: Luke Raab (HM All-Big Ten)
Departing: Justin Schmidt
Arriving: None
Schmidt arrived as one of the nation’s highest-ranked high school long snapper prospects. Raab, though, locked the job up last season.
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Purdue football roster, offense with transfer portal recruiting commits
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