GoldandBlack.com's Purdue player draft: No. 22 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 over the next two months. In late July, we'll decide — based on GoldandBlack.com staff and member feedback — which team would win.
Charters picks up at No. 22 and selects ...
Today's pick isn't really a hard one: Gregory Phillips.
I thought that Stacy might take him on Monday, putting the slot receiver back at his former spot on the outside. But Bilal Marshall is an understandable selection, because he actually does play on the perimeter. But Wildcat? Come on, what year is she running her offense? 2008?
And Phillips has good value at 22, giving my offense a sure-handed slot receiver who runs solid routes and can move the chains. Maybe he can develop into a game-breaker there too, particularly if he gets advantageous matchups. And considering Stacy's defense doesn't have a nickel back or any linebackers yet, that's looking pretty good.
And Phillips, who will play in the second slot this season (with Cameron Posey) in Purdue's four-receiver sets, is one of the Boilermakers' hardest-working players, trying to do everything he can to maximize his abilities. I like that.
Did Stacy force this pick?
Not really. I was leaning this direction anyway, provided Phillips was still available, with one other player in consideration. But I will admit that her threat of going four wide — I didn't know we could change our pre-determined formations midstream, but will keep that in mind — was taken seriously. It would have caused my defense, or any split-squad defense, some problems, because Purdue doesn't have enough known products in the secondary.
Regardless, I wanted Phillips and got him.
Now, will Stacy stick with offense at 23? And if she does, do I get the next-best on defense at 24?
Draft ticker: 1-20 | 21 Bilal Marshall
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