Fall Camp Report - August 13

August 13, 2025

Interviews: Coach Ford | Corey Smith | Jesse Watson

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue Football had its first Wednesday practice of fall camp to hit the halfway point of the week.

As Purdue progresses through camp, the wide reciever position continues to feature strong competition. The unit, led by Cornell Ford who coached under Barry Odom at both UNLV (2023-24) and Missouri (2016-19), has six transfer portal additions, five returners and four freshmen competing for reps.

“Those guys coming into the room upped the competition,” said Ford. "We have more guys fighting and more guys looking to make plays. That’s because of all the talent that’s in the room.”

One of the portal additions, Corey Smith, came to Purdue after he had 12 receptions for 179 yards and two touchdowns as a true freshman at Tulsa. Smith is a native of Brownsburg, Indiana that sits just outside of Indianapolis about 55 miles from Purdue's campus.

“Being back here, it shows me how much I love Purdue,” said Smith. “I go out and I see happiness everywhere I go. I feel like I can vibe, be myself and play the best football that I can.”

Jesse Watson is one of five returning Boilermakers in the wide receiver room and embraces the competition after he appeared in one game last season.

“It’s a very competitive sport and everyone’s pushing each other to be their best,” said Watson. “Everyone is holding each other accountable and we’re making sure everyone is on their A-game.”

Purdue returns to the field on Thursday (Aug. 14) for its fourth of six practices in a row this week.

Wideouts From the Portal

The Boilermakers looked to complement its five returning wide recievers with the addition of six players through the transfer portal. The additions feature three seniors, two sophomore and a redshirt freshman.

EJ Horton Jr. brings the most game experience with 30 appearances between Marshall (2020-22) and West Virginia (2023). He has 26 receptions for 446 yards and three touchdowns in his career.

Michael Jackson III is Purdue's most productive addition on the outside with 47 receptions for 508 yards and five touchdowns in his career between USC (2021-23) and Georgia (2024). He is one of six Boilermakers to transfer from Georgia, including fellow wideout Nitro Tuggle, who had three catches for 34 yards for the Bulldogs last season.

The group of 16 wide receivers will continue to compete for reps in the coming week ahead of the season-opener vs. Ball State on Aug. 30.