WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Football added six new Boilermakers to its family on National Signing Day (Dec. 4). Sawyer Anderson (QB – Dallas, Texas), Landon Brooks (RUSH END – Albany, Ind.), Zyntreacs Otey (DB – Murfreesboro, Tenn.), Ziaire Stevens (RB – Akron, Ohio), Sam Steward (LB – Fort Wayne, Ind.) and Jaron Thomas (RB – Elkhart, Ind.) all signed their national letters of intent Wednesday to join the Boilermakers for the 2025 season.
The early signing period class features three players on each side of the ball: two running backs and one quarterback on offense, along with a linebacker, rush end and defensive back on defense.
After the 38th head coach in Purdue Football history is named and establishes his coaching staff, the recruiting class size will increase during the regular signing period, which begins on February 5, 2025. The new staff will also undoubtedly utilize the transfer portal over the next month.
The list of early signees, along with information about each new Boilermaker, can be found below.
SAWYER ANDERSON
QB | 6-0 | 180
Dallas, Texas | Parish Episcopal School
• Rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports Composite
• Ranked the No. 52 quarterback by On3
• Selected first team all-state twice and second team all-state once
• Three-time first team all-district
• Three-year team captain
• Three-time TAPPS Division I State Champion
• Will play in the TAPPS Division I State Championship on Dec. 7 vs. Liberty Christian
• Is 849-for-1,290 (65.8-percent) with 14,370 passing yards and 156 passing touchdowns serving as a four-year starter
• Added 145 carries for 948 yards and 13 touchdowns over his high school career
• His passing yards are a Dallas-area high school career record that he set on Nov. 11, 2024
• Fourth quarterback in Texas high school history to surpass 14,000 career passing yards
• Leads the state of Texas and ranks second in the nation with 4,830 passing yards this season
• His father, Blake, was drafted in the 23rd round of the 1996 MLB Draft by the Colorado Rockies
• His grandfather, Donny, played in the NFL from 1966-75 and won the first two Super Bowls in NFL history with the Green Bay Packers
LANDON BROOKS
RE | 6-5 | 220
Albany, Ind. | Delta High School
• Listed as a three-star prospect by 247Sports, On3 and Rivals
• Named the No. 20 prospect in Indiana and No. 87 edge overall by 247Sports Composite
• 2023 IHSAA 3A Sectional Champion
• Two-time Prime Time 25 Defensive Player of the Year
• Three-year team captain
• Recorded 22 sacks over his final three seasons of high school
• During his breakout junior season, recorded 72 tackles, 19.5 tackles-for-loss and 6.5 sacks
ZYNTREACS OTEY
DB | 5-11 | 165
Murfreesboro, Tenn. | Battle Ground Academy
• Rated a four-star recruit by Rivals.
• The No. 13 prospect in Tennessee and No. 36 cornerback according to Rivals
• Has 100 total tackles (73 solo) with four interceptions in two seasons.
• Battle Ground Academy will play in the TSSAA state championship on Dec. 5, 2024
ZIAIRE STEVENS
RB | 5-9 | 185
Akron, Ohio | East High School
• Consensus three-star prospect according to 247Sports Composite
• Rated the No. 28 prospect in Ohio and No. 45 running back by ESPN
• Two-time First Team All-Ohio
• Two-time Akron City Series Offensive Player of the Year
• Three-time Northeast Ohio First Team All-District
• Sits atop Akron East's career leaderboards with 5,810 rushing yards and 50 total touchdowns
• Broke the school record in rushing after a 104-yard performance in week nine of his senior season
SAM STEWARD
ILB | 6-1 | 215
Fort Wayne, Ind. | Homestead High School
• Rated a three-star prospect and No. 22 in Indiana by On3
• 6A All-State selection as a junior
• Two-time all-conference
• Team captain as a senior
• Had 194 total tackles, 30 tackles-for-loss and 18 sacks in his three-year varsity career
• Led Homestead in tackles, tackles-for-loss and sacks during his junior and senior seasons
• Had a senior season-high 14 tackles in his final game against Hamilton Southeastern
• Took second in the 100 and 200-meter dash in his conference meet
JARON THOMAS
RB | 6-0 | 200
Elkhart, Ind. | Concord High School
• Rated a four-star recruit according to On3
• Ranked the No. 7 athlete and No. 8 prospect in Indiana by On3
• Two-time all-state selection as an athlete, playing both running back and linebacker
• Two-time all-conference
• Totaled 2,867 rushing yards and 40 touchdowns in two seasons
• Had 15 games of 100-plus rushing yards according to MaxPreps
• Totaled 227 tackles and 13 tackles-for-loss
• Two-time state qualifier and 2023 sectional champion in the 100-meter dash
• Placed seventh in the 4x100-meter relay at the 2024 state championships
• Three-time all-conference selection in track & field
The early signing period class features three players on each side of the ball: two running backs and one quarterback on offense, along with a linebacker, rush end and defensive back on defense.
After the 38th head coach in Purdue Football history is named and establishes his coaching staff, the recruiting class size will increase during the regular signing period, which begins on February 5, 2025. The new staff will also undoubtedly utilize the transfer portal over the next month.
The list of early signees, along with information about each new Boilermaker, can be found below.
| Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown (High School) |
| Sawyer Anderson | QB | 6-0 | 180 | Dallas, Texas (Parish Episcopal) |
| Landon Brooks | RUSH END | 6-5 | 220 | Albany, Ind. (Delta) |
| Zyntreacs Otey | DB | 5-11 | 165 | Murfreesboro, Tenn. (Battle Ground) |
| Ziaire Stevens | RB | 5-9 | 185 | Akron, Ohio (East) |
| Sam Steward | LB | 6-1 | 215 | Fort Wayne, Ind. (Homestead) |
| Jaron Thomas | RB | 6-0 | 200 | Elkhart, Ind. (Concord) |
SAWYER ANDERSON
QB | 6-0 | 180
Dallas, Texas | Parish Episcopal School
• Rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports Composite
• Ranked the No. 52 quarterback by On3
• Selected first team all-state twice and second team all-state once
• Three-time first team all-district
• Three-year team captain
• Three-time TAPPS Division I State Champion
• Will play in the TAPPS Division I State Championship on Dec. 7 vs. Liberty Christian
• Is 849-for-1,290 (65.8-percent) with 14,370 passing yards and 156 passing touchdowns serving as a four-year starter
• Added 145 carries for 948 yards and 13 touchdowns over his high school career
• His passing yards are a Dallas-area high school career record that he set on Nov. 11, 2024
• Fourth quarterback in Texas high school history to surpass 14,000 career passing yards
• Leads the state of Texas and ranks second in the nation with 4,830 passing yards this season
• His father, Blake, was drafted in the 23rd round of the 1996 MLB Draft by the Colorado Rockies
• His grandfather, Donny, played in the NFL from 1966-75 and won the first two Super Bowls in NFL history with the Green Bay Packers
LANDON BROOKS
RE | 6-5 | 220
Albany, Ind. | Delta High School
• Listed as a three-star prospect by 247Sports, On3 and Rivals
• Named the No. 20 prospect in Indiana and No. 87 edge overall by 247Sports Composite
• 2023 IHSAA 3A Sectional Champion
• Two-time Prime Time 25 Defensive Player of the Year
• Three-year team captain
• Recorded 22 sacks over his final three seasons of high school
• During his breakout junior season, recorded 72 tackles, 19.5 tackles-for-loss and 6.5 sacks
ZYNTREACS OTEY
DB | 5-11 | 165
Murfreesboro, Tenn. | Battle Ground Academy
• Rated a four-star recruit by Rivals.
• The No. 13 prospect in Tennessee and No. 36 cornerback according to Rivals
• Has 100 total tackles (73 solo) with four interceptions in two seasons.
• Battle Ground Academy will play in the TSSAA state championship on Dec. 5, 2024
ZIAIRE STEVENS
RB | 5-9 | 185
Akron, Ohio | East High School
• Consensus three-star prospect according to 247Sports Composite
• Rated the No. 28 prospect in Ohio and No. 45 running back by ESPN
• Two-time First Team All-Ohio
• Two-time Akron City Series Offensive Player of the Year
• Three-time Northeast Ohio First Team All-District
• Sits atop Akron East's career leaderboards with 5,810 rushing yards and 50 total touchdowns
• Broke the school record in rushing after a 104-yard performance in week nine of his senior season
SAM STEWARD
ILB | 6-1 | 215
Fort Wayne, Ind. | Homestead High School
• Rated a three-star prospect and No. 22 in Indiana by On3
• 6A All-State selection as a junior
• Two-time all-conference
• Team captain as a senior
• Had 194 total tackles, 30 tackles-for-loss and 18 sacks in his three-year varsity career
• Led Homestead in tackles, tackles-for-loss and sacks during his junior and senior seasons
• Had a senior season-high 14 tackles in his final game against Hamilton Southeastern
• Took second in the 100 and 200-meter dash in his conference meet
JARON THOMAS
RB | 6-0 | 200
Elkhart, Ind. | Concord High School
• Rated a four-star recruit according to On3
• Ranked the No. 7 athlete and No. 8 prospect in Indiana by On3
• Two-time all-state selection as an athlete, playing both running back and linebacker
• Two-time all-conference
• Totaled 2,867 rushing yards and 40 touchdowns in two seasons
• Had 15 games of 100-plus rushing yards according to MaxPreps
• Totaled 227 tackles and 13 tackles-for-loss
• Two-time state qualifier and 2023 sectional champion in the 100-meter dash
• Placed seventh in the 4x100-meter relay at the 2024 state championships
• Three-time all-conference selection in track & field