Did you see what Purdue University did earlier this week? Purdue came into Nashville and established themselves as the premier team out of the Big 10 that wanted some of the great high school football talent that Tennessee has to offer.
Separated by a little over 350 miles the Brohm brothers (Jeff(HC) & Brian(OC)) obviously have staked claim in the middle Tennessee area as their second home.
Purdue University has already received commitments from Independence Eagles stud TJ Sheffield and 2018 State Champ & Mr. Football semifinalist Da’Joun Hewitt out of Davidson Academy. This week alone they were passing out offers to some of the top talent coming up the ranks in the area. Chayce Bishop who is ranked by D1Highlights as one of the top receivers in the 2020 class across the state out of Independence HS got the ball rolling with his offer. With ties to Indiana, this makes an offer from Purdue University very intriguing considering his All-Pro and former Tennessee Titans/Houston Oiler father Blaine Bishop being from Indiana.
CJ Ware out of Nolensville high school has been slowly moving up the ranks as well, Ware jumped on the scene last season and has made headway leading up to now. Ware stands at 6’4, north of 220lbs is a prodigy on the edge at OLB/DE. Purdue likes his size, tackling, and agility that can translate into game wrecking havoc in the Big 10 conference.
Graham Barton out of Ravenwood HS received an offer as well from the Boilermakers. The Brohm brothers are looking to sure up their offensive line with this 6’4, 270lbs, offensive tackle. Graham is a 2018 All-Region (6-6A) member has all the tools needed to be successful at the next level. Coaches from Memphis, Vanderbilt, and Purdue are salivating at the mouth to hopefully gain his commitment as he could be an anchor to anyone’s offensive line in the years to come.
Dallas Walker out of Smyrna HS is just a physical specimen of a young man. Standing at 6’4, 285lbs, Dallas has gained a lot of attention across the country and most recently from the Boilermakers. The scary thing about Walker is that he can be lined up anywhere on the field offensively or defensively thus making him a legit threat and athlete. We’ve seen him play running back, tight end, receiver, defensive lineman, and other spots on the gridiron. He’s a big dominant player and Purdue feels like they could plug-in year one or two and solidify the defensive line or where the need may be once arriving due to his athletic abilities.
De’Arre McDonald out of Oakland HS has made himself known across the state as a shutdown cornerback. This 6’2, 2020 kid is just plain dominating! Playing the ball while in the air as a legitimate ball hawk with his tackling complimenting coverage on his side of the field. Schools like Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Purdue are hoping to land this young man and establish a no-fly zone in the secondary. The physical traits of McDonald are very intriguing but what we found to be a bit more appreciative was his knowledge of the game and instinct that cannot be taught.
The Boilermakers are trending in the right direction coming off several winning seasons in a row. We have seen the success that they have had with previous mid-state recruits such as Brycen Hopkins from Ensworth. The Big Ten conference is open for the taking right now with some departures of players and coaches throughout. It is early in the year so stay tuned to us as we report on more offers in the Tennessee area. One thing we know for sure is east, middle, and west Tennessee football is on the map.
For any inquiries or questions please feel free to reach out to us via Twitter @d1highlights or @decarlowoodmore.
