DALLAS – Junior defensive back Hudauri Hines, one of Purdue Football’s team captains for the 2026 season, has been named to the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Watch List. The award is the first college football honor to focus primarily on a player’s leadership, both on and off the field.
In his third year as a Boilermaker, Hines has emerged as a team leader on and off the field. Prior to the start of the 2026 season, he was elected a captain by his teammates. Hines often leads by example, but also knows when to use his voice to showcase leadership. One example was at halftime of Purdue’s season opener versus Indiana State (Sept. 4). With the team not playing up to the program’s expectations, Hines stepped up as a captain to address his fellow Boilermakers.
“He said, ‘Let us take it.’ That shows signs of leadership. That shows signs of a good team, and the messaging was right,” said head coach Barry Odom.
As a sophomore last year, the Indianapolis native played in all 12 games and made 11 starts. He led Purdue in passes defended (9), while also adding 33 tackles, 1.5 tackles-for-loss and one interception. As a true freshman during the 2024 campaign, Hines worked his way up the depth chart and played in the final eight games of the season.
Off the field, Hines has been active in the community by visiting the local Boys and Girls Club. He has also made trips to local elementary schools, reading books to students and answering their questions as a role model. This past summer, Hines represented Purdue on the Big Ten Conference’s trip to the Pacific Northwest, joining several student-athletes throughout the rest of the league, as part of the Big Life Series. The program was designed to deepen participants’ understanding of the region’s rich history, culture and communities through an immersive educational experience that they can take back to campus and share what they learned.
Twenty semifinalists will be selected by a by a subset of the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Selection Committee and announced on October 13. Three finalists will then be named for the award on Monday, December 14. The winner will be announced at the award ceremony, which will take place in Spring of 2027.
Hines and the Boilermakers return to the gridiron on Saturday (Sept. 12), hosting Wake Forest in a non-conference matchup. Kickoff from Ross-Ade Stadium is slated for 12 p.m. ET on FS1.
