It’s the last go round for an Anthrop within Purdue sports for a while.
During the 2022-23 school year there will NOT be a representative from the Anthrop family within the Purdue athletic department for the first time since the 2008-09 year, because this year is the final year for today’s player.
Jackson Anthrop – Sr. (6)
West Lafayette, IN (Central Catholic HS)
5’11”, 190 pounds
Wide receiver
2021 Projection: Starter
Contrary to what a lot of people thing, Dru Anthrop is NOT the oldest of the Anthrop brothers. Jade Anthrop attended St. Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, and according to Jackson at Big Ten Media Days, is already working on the next generation of Purdue Anthrops with a few kids of his own. I say generation because the Anthrop family is Purdue at this point. John Anthrop, the dad, played on Purdue’s 1980 Final Four team. NBA champion Dru was a walk-on to the basketball team for the 2009-10 season and even started a few games by the 2012-13 season. Danny played wide receiver from 2012-15 and had 113 catches for 1,384 yards and 10 total touchdowns.
Then there was Jackson, who kept the streak of Anthrops going by joining the football team in 2016. He redshirted that year, then blew up in his first career game with 7 catches for 82 yards and two touchdowns against Louisville in Jeff Brohm’s debut. He finished that year with 47 catches for 423 yards and 5 TDs, plus a pair of rushing touchdowns to liberate the Old Oaken Bucket from its four year exile in Bloomington.
Jackson saw his numbers dip the last three seasons due to a spate of injuries plus that Rondale Moore guy being a decent player at the same slot receiver position. Given the chance to return for a sixth free season due to COVID and desiring to go out strong after he was limited to four games and three receptions for 33 yards in 2020, Jackson is primed to go out strong this year. He is the most experienced receiver, and maybe player overall, on the entire roster. He has 95 catches for 850 yards and 6 TDs, plus another 64 yards rushing and two scores.
Jackson fills the stat sheet in myriad of ways. He has been sure handed as a punt returner (66 yards on 26 attempts), has served as a kickoff returner (317 yards on 20 attempts), and he even completed a 24 yard pass in 2017.
You could not ask for a better “do everything asked of him” player than Jackson. Celebrate his career by buying his NIL merchandise.
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