We are Drake Carlson, ays away from the start of the Barry Odom era of Purdue football.
#98 Drake Carlson
Defensive Line / Defensive Tackle
6’3”, 295
Redshirt Sophomore
Nashville, Tennessee
Projection: Depth on Defensive Line
Carlson came to Purdue out of Father Ryan High School in Nashville, Tennessee, where he was All-State as both an offensive and defensive lineman in 2021. He was a consensus three-star recruit and chose Purdue over home-state Vanderbilt. He also had listed offers from Tennessee, Mississippi State, and Illinois.
One of the few remaining members of the 2023 recruiting class, he found himself in the defensive tackle rotation last season as a redshirt freshman, appearing in nine games and recording four tackles and half a tackle for loss.
Drake is still in West Lafayette for a reason. He has heavy hands but is still agile enough to shoot gaps and get into the backfield. Look for him playing on either side of the nose guard as a defensive tackle.