Purdue Football: Position Groups – Cornerback / Nickelback
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Defense
Linebacker
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.
Position
#NamePosRecruiting ClassHS/JuCo/PortalHome StateHigh SchoolHS RatingJuco/PortJuCo/Port RatingSeasons at PUEligibilityName7Don SaundersCB22PortalCACathedral CatholicNRCal Ploay/TAMU/Utah3*(86)01Don Saunders12Ryan TurnerCB22PortalFLChaminade-Madonna Prep3*(88.6)Ohio St./B.C.NA11Ryan Turner17Traveon WrightCB23PortalGAPerry3*(83.1)Memphis/Miss St.3*(83)12Traveon Wright6Mister ClarkNB/CB23PortalFLMiami Carol City3*(82.8)FIU3*(86)02Mister Clark29Dee NewsomeCB23PortalALDeshler SchoolNRJack St./Samford3*(85.5)02Dee Newsome1Smiley BradfordNB/CB24HSMOEast St. Louis3*(87.3)NANA23Smiley Bradford4Hudauri HinesCB24HSINFranklin Central3*(86.8)NANA23Hudauri Hines49Kaleb RichmondCB24HSMICass TechNRNANA14Kaleb Richmond49Isaiah NeedamCB24HSINPerry MeridianNRNANA23Isaiah Needam28Maxwell BarbeeCB25HSCAWilson3*(85.2)NANA14Maxwell Barbee38Zyntreacs OteyCB25HSTNBattle Ground Academy3*(87.2)NANA14Zyntreacs Otey48Donivan TaylorCB25HSMONRNANA14Donivan Taylor24Raderrion DanielsCB26HSMSLake Cormorant3*(86.8)NANA05Raderrion DanielsEligibility Changes
Hudauri Hines and Smiley Bradford will receive an additional season of eligibility after playing as true freshmen.
Thoughts
Tony Grimes and Hudauri Hines were Purdue’s top corner pairing last season, with mixed results. Grimes finished up his eligibility last season, but Hines is back and should return to Purdue’s top corner pairing in 2026. At 6’2”, 195, he has the size to compete on the outside with the jumbo-sized Big 10 receivers while still holding up in the run game. He led Purdue in passes defended last season and should be solid with a full season of starts under his belt. I know he’ll be in the top pairing, but I’m not sure if he’ll be CB1 or CB2.
It sounds like Utah transfer Don Saunders has the inside track on the second starting corner spot. Like Hines, he’s big for a corner at 6’4”, 195, and he’s certainly experienced all the college football has to offer after spending his first two seasons at Cal Poly before transferring to Texas A&M in 2024 and then to Utah in 2025. He impressed in spring practice and has the measurables defensive coordinators lust after; now it’s a question of putting it together in an actual game. I like him in theory, but I think it’s OK to be skeptical until I see him on the field based on his track record, or lack thereof.
FIU transfer Mister Clark could play corner, but he was brought in to play nickel back. Out of all the defensive backs on the roster, Clark may have had the best 2025, contributing 63 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and 3 interceptions to the Owls’ cause. He’s going to be on the field in some capacity. Smiley Bradford will start at nickelback this season and could be the best player Purdue has in the secondary. The coaching staff likes his play-making ability around the line of scrimmage. He was solid in his second season and should be even better in 2026. Keeping him out of the portal was one of the biggest wins by the coaching staff last offseason.
Traveon Wright is back for another season after appearing in 11 games with one start in his 3rd season of college football. It looks like he’s found his place in college football after playing for Memphis and Mississippi State in his first 2 seasons. He should be a useful depth piece and could factor into the rotation.
The same can be said about Ryan Turner, the Ohio State and Boston College transfer, who appeared in 7 games with one start for Purdue in 2025. He’s a nice, experienced depth piece who the coaches feel comfortable putting on the field. I’m not sure he’s any more than that, but I’d love to be surprised with a Ryan Turner breakout season.
Dee Newsome is a transfer from Samford (not Stanford) by way of Jacksonville State. Like Saunders, he has the size defensive coordinators are looking for at 6’3”, 170, but he’s very much a gamble on physical traits. I would say he’s a developmental player, but he only has two seasons of eligibility remaining. He’ll have an opportunity to carve out a role in fall camp and is one of the bigger question marks on the roster for me (along with Saunders).
Another interesting player who could find a role this season is 2025 recruit Zyntreacs Otey. He’s on the smaller side of the corner equation at 5’11”, 165, but slot receivers exist, and someone needs to cover them. Rivals considered him a 4* prospect coming out of Tennessee high school powerhouse Battle Ground Academy. It seems like there should be a role for him this season.
Maxwell Barbee is another 2025 recruit looking to get on the field after watching last season. Once again, he has good size for the position at 6’2”, 180. I liked him as a developmental corner, and now he has a season of development. The next step is getting onto the field. If Barbee ends up making an impact at Purdue at some point in his career, I’m sure you’ll get to hear about his father, Ray Barbee’s, legendary skateboarding career.
Overall, Purdue doesn’t lack for on-paper talent, but someone will need to take their talent off paper and onto the grass. The coaching staff wants Hines and Saunders to be the answer. Let’s hope Saunders has been waiting for the right opportunity to show off his NFL corner body, with this being the season. One thing that would make every corner on the roster better is an improved pass rush. Poor Tony Grimes was out there running a 5K on every passing down last season while the quarterback waited patiently for his receiver to get open.
Moving Forward
Corner is one of the more “plug-and-play” positions in football, making it a prime candidate for the portal. Hines and Bradford still have 3 seasons of eligibility remaining. If the Boilermakers can hold onto them for the duration of their careers, they’re in solid shape when it comes to the secondary. If they can find a way to land a true #1 corner, or Hines turns into one with another year of experience, corner and nickel back could be a strength in the not-so-distant future.