Head coach Barry Odom and the Purdue Boilermakers are monitoring key players in the transfer portal.
The team hosted former Florida safety Gregory Smith this weekend, and may have jumped North Carolina as the lead team in the chase for the transfer.
Barry Odom and Purdue Trending After Hosting Florida Transfer Gregory Smith
The 6’2”, 211-pound Smith appeared in five games last year, registering five tackles and a pass breakup. He played in the Gasparilla Bowl and four regular-season games, allowing him to preserve his redshirt.
Purdue is trending for multiple top defensive transfer portal targets, @SWiltfong_ reports🚂
Intel: https://t.co/V3eeYW8QA5 pic.twitter.com/OjfZMChoqY
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal_) May 6, 2025
Smith made his collegiate debut at defensive back against Samford, where he recorded one tackle and a pass break-up, and his SEC debut against Kentucky. He played 15 snaps on defense at Texas and saw significant action at safety at Florida State, notching three tackles. He finished with one tackle in the Gasparilla Bowl.
Smith was ranked the No. 18 safety in the country and No. 261 overall by On3 in the 2024 class as a four-star prospect. He committed to Florida over Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Florida State, Texas A&M, Nebraska, Mississippi State, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, West Virginia, Louisville, Iowa State, USF, Tulane, and Howard. Smith played high school football at Sumner High School in Riverview, Florida, near Tampa.
Purdue is also in the running for Houston safety Hershey McLaurin, who played 629 snaps—including 535 defensively—for the Cougars last year as a senior. He appeared in all 12 games on special teams and finished the season with 50 tackles and eight tackles for loss, both career highs.
KEEP READING: Purdue Football Transfer Portal
McLaurin spent his first two years at Jones County Junior College before transferring to West Virginia for two seasons, where he had 89 tackles. The Collins, Mississippi, native has one year of eligibility remaining.
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