GoldandBlack.com Purdue player draft: No. 33 overall
This summer, the Boilermakers are being divided.
Reporters Stacy Clardie and Kyle Charters are going head-to-head in GoldandBlack.com's Purdue player draft, a daily selection in which separate rosters of 25 are being assembled. In late July, we'll decide — based on GoldandBlack.com staff and member feedback — which team would win.
Up next, Clardie takes the 33rd overall pick.
This may be, like, five days later than initially said, but here’s my Anthony Mahoungou selection.
Love the idea of having a true four-receiver set — though tight end Cole Herdman is a more-than-capable guy to detach and run a 3x1 or 2x2 set, which is what I would have done — and Mahoungou allows that to happen. I’ll just slide Bilal Marshall into the slot and stick Mahoungou on the outside, and have Cameron Posey and Domonique Young on the other side. That’ll be a tough cover for Kyle’s largely DB-less defense.
Mahoungou won’t start for me, though, but I like having him as an option to give either Young or Marshall a breather on the outside. He still has room to develop on several fronts — catching the ball more consistently, playing looser — but his length and natural athleticism are strengths. And he’s one of the team’s most impressive workers, I think, and truly wants to get better. That’s a big deal for a guy who still is learning the nuances of the position and route-running. For my team, he’ll be a good guy to mix in and get 10-12 snaps per game.
And, better yet, it takes him away from Kyle as an option, though Kyle seems fine with having incredibly raw 25-year-old Jarrett Burgess as a starting outside receiver. Which puzzles me. Burgess is stupid-fast and is physically mature, but he has a ways to go to learn how to be a real receiver. It’s possible he’ll get there — he made strides in the spring, for sure — but just don't see that happening this season.
More: Draft ticker 1-30 | 31. Austin Larkin | 32. Tim Cason
More: Much-needed vocal leaders emerging this summer ($)
More: Players adjusting to change in offseason program ($) | Looking to solidify secondary, Hazell makes a move ($)
More: 2016 football primer
