OT: Belleville HS Product and Purdue WR Deion Burks in the Portal

Submitted by alum96 on November 28th, 2023 at 12:08 PM

Hopefully us jerks don't post 20% of all portal players but this is a local kid who was a good player for Purdue.  15th ranked player out of Michigan with mostly MAC offers but he has flourished in the B10.

With Roman and CoJo done after this year, an experienced player would be great.  Unfortunately he is not a grad transfer. 

Burks led the Boilermakers with 47 catches for 629 yards and seven touchdown receptions in 2023, and had 63 catches, 804 yards and seven scores across his three seasons in West Lafayette. The explosive pass catcher was Purdue's top option on the outside, but will now search for a new home.

Purdue's wide receiver corps has taken a hit from departing transfers in the last week, with Burks joining TJ Sheffield and Mershawn Rice in leaving the program, but the redshirt sophomore is the biggest departure to date.

For reference Johnson had 33 rec for 503 and Roman 40 for 648.  We are not the most attractive option for WRs in terms of loads of catches but there is an immediate spot for a veteran player. 

p.s. Purdue already has 11 players in the portal!

https://purdue.rivals.com/news/purdue-wide-receiver-deion-burks-to-enter-ncaa-transfer-portal

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alum96

November 28th, 2023 at 12:21 PM ^

Username checks out ;)

Our 3rd leading (non TE) receiver is one Donovan Edwards both in catches and yards.  We can hope all we want about prospects but aside Semaj who averaged about 1.5 catches a game we have no proven production.  Tyler Morris aside Indiana had a few 1-2 catch games. WRs usually pop by their sophomore year in some regard. 

Would like a program like Michigan to have a clear #1 veteran and let the unproven guys figure it out behind them.  

Joined: 04/28/2012

MGoPoints: 82517

MGoChippewa

November 28th, 2023 at 12:25 PM ^

We've definitely got solid guys for next year with Tyler Morris and Semaj Morgan having already produced and some positive signs from Fred Moore and Karmello English.  The problem with those guys is that they're all approximately 6' or shorter aside from Moore, who's only 6'1.  We need a true outside receiver who can make some contested catches.  That could be Darrius Clemons, but he's got 4 catches in two seasons, so that's a heck of a gamble.

This issue is mitigated a bit by having a high-level pass catcher at TE in Colston Loveland, but it would be nice to add a bigger WR to next year's roster.  That being said, Burks doesn't really fix that either.  What we really need is a Cornelius Johnson replacement.  Where that comes from, I don't know.

Joined: 01/06/2011

MGoPoints: 11466

NeverPunt

November 28th, 2023 at 12:25 PM ^

Next year we'll have:

  • Darrius Clemons
  • Tyler Morris
  • Semaj Morgan
  • Fred Moore
  • Karmello English

along with some walk-ons and guys who haven't really contributed too much. In addition we'll bring in Freshman I'Marion Stewart & Channing Goodwin (who is a 4 star and teammates with Jadyn Davis) and we are still not technically out of it for a couple guys who we have some slim chance could be persuaded to commit/flip in the 24 class - Nitro Tuggle, Gatlin Bair (who is basically a '26), and Jordan Shipp, another teammate of Goodwiin/Davis. Not likely we'll swing those guys but still outside chance.

My guess is we'd roll with those guys. Would much rather see us use the portal for CBs, Lineman, and a QB if JJ leaves.

Joined: 03/26/2019

MGoPoints: 41222

JR3410

November 28th, 2023 at 12:26 PM ^

Going 4-8 in the worst B1G West ever, losing your best offensive player to the portal and now the conference is doing away with divisions and adding 4 programs that are all way bigger than Purdue.  I'm just calling a spade a spade, but Ryan Walters is fucked.

Joined: 08/04/2018

MGoPoints: 1994

NeverPunt

November 28th, 2023 at 1:45 PM ^

my understanding of the problem has nothing to do with the academic standing of the U, but rather of the 1:1 class conversion at UMich in whatever department he's joining. So for example if he was a history of criminal justice major at Purdue, but no such major exists at U of M, when they go through his classes at Purdue and try to find a 1:1 match at UM to port the credit over, many of those classes wont' match and thus the credits don't transfer. 

Joined: 03/26/2019

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