Best Purdue football players from the past 25 years (2024)

Best Purdue football players from the past 25 years (1)

Who are the best Purdue football players over the past 25 years?IndyStar college sports editor Matthew Glenesk takes a stab at it:

Quarterback

Best Purdue football players from the past 25 years (2)

Drew Brees (1997-2000)

As far as Big Ten passing records go, Purdue owns half of the top eight in career yardage. Atop that list is Brees with 11,792 yards. His 90 career TDs arealso among his collection ofBig Ten records.Brees was perfect for Joe Tiller's pass-happy attack (he once threw an NCAA record 83 times in a game). In the 2000 season, he guided the Boilers to their first Rose Bowl in 34 years. Atwo-time Heisman Trophy finalist, finishing fourth as a junior and third as a senior, Breeswon the 2000 Maxwell Award, also given to the nation's top player.Brees was twice theBig Ten Offensive Player of the Year, and the annual award given to the conference's top QB is named for Brees and fellow Purdue QB icon Bob Griese.The gold standard for college quarterbacks.

Also in consideration: Kyle Orton, Curtis Painter, Billy Dicken.

Running Back

Best Purdue football players from the past 25 years (3)

Mike Alstott (1992-95), Kory Sheets (2005-08)

The first player in program history to be voted team MVP three times, Alstott is the school's all-time leading rusher (3,635 yards) and held the touchdown record (39) before Sheets broke it in the mid-2000s. Alstott holds the school record for rushing yards in a season (1,436 as a senior) and is the only player in school history with at least 2,500 career rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards. An All-American, he was selected in the second round of the NFL Draft, and spent his entire 12-year NFL career in Tampa Bay, winning a Super Bowl. His son, Griffin, is a freshman for Purdue this year. Sheets is second on the school's all-time rushing yardage list (3,341) and his 48 rushing touchdowns are the most by a Boilermaker. As a senior, he rushed for 1,131 yards and scored 17 total TDs, earning All-Big Ten honors.

Also in consideration: Montrell Lowe, Edwin Watson, Jerod Void, Joey Harris.

Wide Receiver

Best Purdue football players from the past 25 years (4)

Taylor Stubblefield (2001-04), John Standeford (2000-03)

A pass-heavy offense lends itself to plenty of candidates at wide receiver. Stubblefieldset a school, Big Ten and NCAA record for career receptions (325). He's second on the school's all-time receiving yardage list, which coincides with his Big Ten rank. He's behind onlyStandeford, whose 3,788 receiving yards are a Purdue and Big Ten record. Standeford owned the Big Ten reception record before Stubblefield broke it a year later. A Monrovia grad, Standeford spent parts of three seasons on the hometown Colts practice squad, but he never appeared in a official game for Indy. He caught 16 passes over the course of two seasons for Detroit.

Tight End

Best Purdue football players from the past 25 years (5)

Tim Stratton (1998-2001)

Just the fourth player in Purdue history to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors in three seasons, Stratton had the luxury of catching passes from Drew Brees and Kyle Orton. As a junior, he wonthe first-ever John Mackey Award, given to the nation's top tight end. When he graduated, he held the school's receptions record. That was soon shattered by the fellas listed above.

Also in consideration: Dustin Keller, Charles Davis.

Offensive Line

Best Purdue football players from the past 25 years (6)

Matt Light (1996-2000), Chukky Okobi (1997-2000), Nick Hardwick (2001-03), Jordan Grimes (2004-07), Mike Otto (2002-06)

The left tackle on Purdue's Rose Bowl team, Light earned all-conference honors in each of his final three seasons: honorable mention as a sophom*ore, second team as a junior and first team as a senior. A second-round pick by the Patriots in 2001, Light went from blocking for Drew Brees in college to Tom Brady in the pros. He was a three-time Pro Bowler and won three Super Bowls with New England. Another Super Bowl winner, Okobi picked up a ring with the Steelers in 2006. A second-team All-Big Ten selection at guard in 1998, Okobi started at center for the 2000 Big Ten championship team. A fifth-round pick, he played 78 in NFL games, primarily as a reserve. Purdue's Rose Bowl appearance inspired Hardwick, ahigh school wrestler atLawrence North,to walk on to the football team. After spending his first year at defensive tackle, he moved across the line, earned a scholarship and became an All-Big Ten center. The first of Purdue's nine players selected in the 2004 draft, he spent his entire 11-year pro career with San Diego, making the 2006 Pro Bowl. A two-time second-team All-Big Ten selection,Grimes started 36 consecutive games at guard for the Boilers. Purdue wasOtto's only FBS offer. He turned into anAll-Big Ten left tackle, earning honorable mention in 2005 and second team honors in 2006. He was a seventh-round pick and played 47 NFL games, all for Tennessee.

Also in consideration: Emmett Zitelli, Robert Kugler, Mark Fischer, Kelly Butler, Brandon Gorin, Dennis Kelly.

Defensive Line

Best Purdue football players from the past 25 years (7)

Rosevelt Colvin (1995-98), Kawann Short (2009-12), Ryan Kerrigan (2007-10), Akin Ayodele (1999-01)

Of all the selections I've made between Notre Dame, IU, Ball State and now Purdue, this particular spot was the hardest to pick. Purdue churned out quality NFL-caliber pass rushers year in, year out.Colvin set a single-season Boilers record with 15 sacks, earning first-team All-Big Ten honorsin 1998.His 35 career sacks are most in school history. A Broad Ripple graduate, he spent 10 years in the NFL, primarily with Chicago and New England. A force at defensive tackle, Short was a two-time first-team All-Big Ten pick. Capable of stopping the run,and rushing the passer, he earned second-team All-American honors and was a second-roundpick. He's developed into one of the top young defensive linemen in the NFL, already with one Pro Bowl under hist belt.A two-time first-team All-Big Ten choice and conference Defensive Player of the Year as a senior, Kerrigan set anFBS recordfor forced fumbles (12, since broken). His 33.5 career sacks are tied for second-most (with Shaun Phillips) in school history. He was a consensus All-American and first-round pick by Washington. A two-time Pro Bowler, Kerrigan has58.5 career NFL sacks,13th-most among active players. Ayodele earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in 1999 and 2000, before breaking through to first team in 2001. His 29 career sacks are tied for fourth-most in school history. Ayodele's sack total each of his three seasons rank among the top 10 in Purdue single-season history.

Linebackers

Best Purdue football players from the past 25 years (8)

Landon Johnson (2000-03), Gilbert Gardner (2000-03), Anthony Spencer (2003-06)

Honorable mention All-Big Ten each of his first two seasons, Johnson was a disruptive outside linebacker and led the a loaded Boilers 2003 team in tackles. A third-round pick by Cincinnati, he spent seven seasons in the NFL, starting 64 of 101 career games.Gardner came to Purdue as a wide receiver and quickly adapted to a new a position. He started 31 games andwas second-team All-Big Ten in 2003, finishing his his career with 215 tackles, including 23 for loss.I'm cheating a little with Spencer at linebacker, but like I said, there werejust way too many standout pass rushers. His 21 sacks are sixth most in school historyand, as a senior, he posted 26.5 tackles for loss, second-best in the nation, and fifth-best ever in the Big Ten. A first-round pick by Dallas, Spencer played seven NFL seasons, finished with 33 career sacks and made the 2012 Pro Bowl.

Also in consideration: Niko Koutouvides, Eric Beatty, Willie Fells.

Defensive Backs

Best Purdue football players from the past 25 years (9)

Stuart Schweigert (2000-03), Ricardo Allen (2010-13), Adrian Beasley (1996-99), Bernard Pollard (2003-05)

Purdue's all-time leader in interceptions (17), Schweigert is also ninth on the school's all-time tackles list. A starter his entire career, he was second-team All-Big Ten twice, and first-team All-Big Ten the other two seasons. A second-team All-American as a senior, he started in four bowl games, including the Rose Bowl as a freshman. His 360 career tackles are second-most by a Boilers defensive back, behind only the legendary Rod Woodson. Allen proved to be one of the best cover men in the Big Ten during his career. But he also wasn't afraid to tackle. He finished his career with 250 total tackles to go along with 13 interceptions. A second-team All-Big Ten in his junior and senior seasons, Allen's four picks returned for scores are a school record. He started the most recent Super Bowl at safety for Atlanta.A starter at both safety positions, Beasley earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in 1999. His fumble return for a touchdown in 1997 against Notre Dame helped salt away the win for the Boilers. His 11 career interceptions are tied for third-most in school history. A feared hitter in the secondary, Pollard followed up a Freshman All-American season by earning second-team All-Big Ten honors as a sophom*ore. He led the team in tackles in 2004 (96 stops) and 2005 (92) and his five blocked kicks are a school record.

Also in consideration: Landon Feichter, Jimmy Young, David Pender, Brandon King, Frankie Williams, Jacques Reeves.

Kicker

Best Purdue football players from the past 25 years (10)

Carson Wiggs (2008-11)

Purdue's leader in field goal percentage (73.7), Wiggs ranks second behind Travis Dorsch in career field goals with 56. The strong-legged Texanowns the four longest field goals in school history.

Also in consideration: Travis Dorsch, Ben Jones, Chris Summers, Paul Griggs.

Punter

Best Purdue football players from the past 25 years (11)

Travis Dorsch (1998-2001)

He very well could have been our kicker choice, but because he pulled double duty, Dorsch offers some flexibility. The 2001 Ray Guy Award winner (given to the nation's top punter) Dorsch wasthe school's first consensus All-American since 1986. His senior year, he averaged a nation-leading 48.4 yards per punt. As a kicker,heowned the school andBig Ten scoring records when he graduated.

Also in consideration: Cody Webster, Brent Slaton.

Kick Returner

Best Purdue football players from the past 25 years (12)

Vinny Sutherland (1997-00)

A dynamic receiver, Sutherland was one of Drew Brees' favorite targets, finishing his career with 176 catches for 2,370 yards.He holds the school recordfor punt return average in a season (16.4). For his career, he averaged 11.6 yards a punt return and 23.6 yards a kickoff return. He took two punts back for touchdowns.

Also in consideration: Anthony Chambers, Dorien Bryant, Akeem Hunt, Raheem Mostert.