WEST LAFAYETTE − Fans hoping for Purdue football‘s instant turnaround, avert your eyes.
Or at least avoid the incoming class rankings by recruiting service 247Sports.
The Boilermakers‘ 2025 signing class, finalized on Wednesday, ranks 98th nationally.
That’s not only the worst in the Big Ten, it’s the bottom for the Power 4 conference programs (Big Ten, SEC, ACC, Big 12).
Northwestern, 65th nationally, and Michigan State (56th) are the only other Big Ten programs to rank outside the top 50. Aside from Purdue, the lowest rated Power 4 is Big 12 member Central Florida, ranked 77th.
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Purdue’s ranking is hurt by the fact it only signed 11 freshmen. Iowa (16), Michigan State (18) and UCLA (19) are the only other Big Ten programs to sign less than 20 high school recruits.
Purdue’s class, however, is the only one in the Big Ten that includes a two-star recruit (on a five-star scale) and also the only team to have a non-rated player in the 247Sports database. The Boilers also are the only Big Ten program without at least one four- or five-star recruit, other than Northwestern.
Nine players from the 2025 class who were at one time Purdue commits signed elsewhere. Four of those ― Ta’Khyian Whitset (NC State), Dawayne Galloway (West Virginia), Grant Beerman (Illinois) and Kuol Kuol (Iowa State) ― are rated as four stars by 247Sports.
Boilermaker coach Barry Odom said Purdue’s signing classes will look more traditional in the future, with a larger number of high school prospects.
Purdue did add 29 players from the transfer portal, but has the Big Ten’s 15th-rated portal class out of 18.
The Boilermakers are trying to rebound from a 1-11 season after losing 33 players to the transfer portal.
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue football’s 2025 recruiting class ranking is worst in Power 4
