Published Dec 11, 2023
Purdue comes out swinging during first visit weekend after portal opens
Greg Smith  •  Rivals Transfer Portal
Staff

The transfer portal has been open for a full week now. There are over 1,000 players in the portal. Visits were going on all over the country so we knew that players would start finding homes.

There are several teams we expected to be aggressive in adding talent to their rosters but maybe one surprise is Purdue. The Boilermakers have come out swinging during the first full weekend of portal visits. After going 4-8 in coach Ryan Walters first season running the program, the team has looked hard at upgrading the roster through the portal.

Purdue has wasted no time in landing transfers.

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Notre Dame offensive lineman Joey Tanona had medically retired from football but is now back in the game. The 6-foot-5, 290-pound offensive lineman could play guard or tackle for the Boilermakers. Tanona could be more of a long-term play for the Boilermakers though as he will need time to get back into game shape.

Ball State transfer offensive lineman Corey Stewart has the potential to start for Purdue next season. Stewart was one of the top linemen for the Cardinals over the last two seasons. He started 21 games at both left and right tackle. He should compete for a tackle spot next season.

DJ Wingfield was another offensive lineman that committed to Purdue on Sunday. He was most recently at New Mexico State and after bouncing back from JUCO. Wingfield had a good season for the Lobos in 2023 after recovering from a torn ACL suffered in 2022. This season he allowed just one sack on 316 pass blocking snaps.

The Boilermakers also got a commitment from the portal on the defensive line. Kentucky transfer Jamarius Dinkins committed to the program. He spent three seasons in Lexington and played in 20 games during his stint at Kentucky, totaling 18 tackles, with two tackles for loss and a sack.

Four portal additions are on the way in the trenches for Walters’ program. That’s a great haul to get the ball rolling for a better season next year. Those weren’t the only additions for the program though. Purdue also added three-star 2024 WR Donovan Hamilton and JUCO OL Rod Green.