Deep Dive: Spring practice No. 4

Purdue kicked off its second week of spring drills on Tuesday. The Boilermakers worked inside the Mollenkopf Center for the fourth time. Let’s take a Deep Dive.

NOTE: Purdue opens only the first six periods (roughly 30 minutes) of practice. The Boilermakers next hit the field at 6 p.m. ET on Thursday for Practice No. 5 of the spring.

1 – Got a chance to talk to CB Cory Trice, one of the good guys. He has had many meetings with NFL teams and has some on the horizon. He told he has met with the Raiders, Texans, Ravens, Colts and Commanders. Trice met with the Lions and Rams in-person at Purdue. He has a Zoom set up with the Chiefs on April 20 and he will go see the Saints on April 18-19.

2 – More Trice: He said he didn’t take part in spring drills last year had just one week of camp in August as he returned from a left knee injury that ruined his 2021. Trice wore a brace until the game at Minnesota on October 1, which is when he says he finally felt 100 percent. It will be fascinating to see when Trice is drafted in April. He could be the first Boiler off the board. Not many 6-3 corners who run like Trice.

3 – The squad once again had a version of the “hamburger” drill, pitting blocker vs. tackler between two tackling dummies. The goal is simple: Shed the block and get to the ballcarrier. Always a drill that creates a lot of energy. Among the highlights: WR Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen drove CB Xander Pratt for several yards.

4 – Ryan Walters was not 100 percent, but he wasn’t going to miss practice. The Boiler boss was limping as he moved about with a bum left ankle, throwing passes to the safeties. Walters used a golf to move greater distances. Am told he has a case of planter’s fasciitis.

5 – Purdue has eight early enrollee freshmen. All but two were on the field today: S Ethon Cole and NT Jamarrion Harkless. Have not seen one sign of Cole all spring. OLB Will Heldt, LB Owen Davis, QB Ryan Browne, S Dillon Thieneman, CB Zion Gunn, OL Jimmy Liston have been regulars.

6 – Purdue had a new roster today. All safeties and cornerbacks are now simply listed as “DB,” since players will be cross-trained to play both positions.

7 – Many of the usual suspects were missing: OLB Scotty Humpich, OLB Kydran Jenkins, C Gus Hartwig, OT Daniel Johnson, WR Broc Thompson, TE Garrett Miller, NT Damarjhe Lewis, NT/DE Isaiah Nichols, OT Nalin Fox, OL Cross Watson and DE Prince Boyd. After practice, I saw Boyd and Watson wearing boots on their lower right legs.

Also didn’t see DE Sulaiman Kpaka or DE J.P. Deeter.

8 – QB Kyle Adams got plenty of reps with the No. 2 offense. The West Lafayette Red Devil is athletic and accurate. But he’s only 6-1, 180. It’s all very interesting.

9 – Was told at one point, OLB Nic Caraway lifted OT Eric Miller off the ground in a one-on-one drill. Caraway flashed as a true freshman last year. This could be his big breakout season. He said he called DC Kevin Kane last night at 10 p.m. asking what he could do to be better. I think Caraway will excel in this defense at Buck/Fox.

10 – The weather was a bit chilly, but it seemed nice enough to work outdoors. But the team held practice in the Mollenkopf. The staff wants the players full focus on learning the new schemes and not have any weather distractions at this point.

11 – Small group of DE/NTs today: Cole Brevard, Joe Strickland, Tristan Cox, Joe Anderson, Mo Omonode.

12 – Lawrence Central High in Indianapolis had a raft of players at practice. Coaches from Brownsburg, Carmel and Guerin Catholic were on hand, too.

13 – Always good to see AD Mike Bobinski, who took in the practice.

Purdue is in action again on Thursday at 6 p.m. The squad is set for its first scrimmage on Saturday.

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