Meet Judge Culpepper, Penn State's Most Interesting Man in the World
Penn State's Judge Culpepper has discussed boats with his new neighbor Tom Brady, watched his mom eat cow eyeballs on television and sat beside his brother during chemotherapy.
Now, Culpepper is ready to tell his own story on the football field.
"I've worked really, really, really hard these last three months and I think I'm ready," he said. "In my own mind, to myself, I feel like I'm ready to take on a bigger role on this team."
Culpepper, a redshirt sophomore defensive tackle, brings a unique lineage to the Nittany Lions. He comes from a family of "badass individuals" (his words) who have played in the NFL, competed on the show "Survivor," shoved a dislodged tooth back into place during a basketball game and, best of all, defeated cancer.
In his third year with the program, Culpepper seeks to corral that inspiration into a spot in Penn State's rotation at defensive tackle. He's feeling fitter and faster than ever at 285 pounds. Defensive line coach John Scott Jr. called Culpepper a "physical, high-motor guy" who will be vital in the middle.
If this becomes his breakthrough season, more people will learn Culpepper's story. Which is fascinating.
First, Judge really is his given name. Culpepper said a great-grandfather served as a judge in Florida, and his father liked the way "Judge Culpepper" sounded.
Culpepper arrived at Penn State from Tampa draped in University of Florida lore. His parents, Brad and Monica, were, respectively, an All-American defensive end for the Gators and Florida's 1991 homecoming queen. His grandfather Bruce and uncle Blair also played football at Florida.
And, of course, Culpepper had an offer from the Gators. Which he declined to commit to Penn State.
"When I came up here and I met coach [James] Franklin and I met the coaching staff and they gave me their pitch, it just felt so much more secure," he said.
Brad Culpepper is Judge's mentor and model. After college Brad played nine NFL seasons, six with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers alongside Warren Sapp, John Lynch and Mike Alstott. Judge Culpepper never saw his father play but grew up going to team events with those guys.
Judge Culpepper is following a path similar to his father's. Both play defensive tackle, both studied history as undergrads and both are exceptional students.
Brad Culpepper won the Campbell Trophy, considered the academic Heisman, at Florida and started a law practice after retiring from the NFL. Judge Culpepper was named academic All-Big Ten last year and was one of 11 Penn State football players to earn a 4.0 grade-point average last spring. He wants to go to law school.
"He puts 100-percent effort into everything he's invested in," Judge Culpepper said of his father. "Growing up and watching that, he's set the path for me and the path I want to follow. He's tough as nails."
As his Monica Culpepper. His parents tested their mettle on three seasons of "Survivor," including one together in 2013. Monica Culpepper became the show's first female contestant to win a food challenge and was the runner-up of 2013's "Survivor: Blood vs. Water" season.
Judge Culpepper still marvels that his mother out-ate her competitors in grub worms and cow eyeballs.
"My mom, she's just a badass," Judge Culpepper said. "... She might be tougher than my dad, and that says a lot."
There's plenty of family hardiness. Younger sister Honor (named for Honor Blackman, the late actress who appeared in the James Bond film "Goldfinger") once nearly dislodged a tooth during an AAU basketball game, which she finished despite the injury. Honor Culpepper has committed to play at New York University.
And then there's Rex Culpepper, the oldest of the family's three kids. Rex, a redshirt senior quarterback at Syracuse. was diagnosed with testicular cancer in March 2018, not long before Judge left for Penn State.
Judge Culpepper spent a month sitting beside his brother during chemotherapy. It was difficult for Judge to watch his older brother "wither" through treatment. But Rex was declared cancer-free in June 2018 and played in six games that season.
Judge called Rex his hero.
"He got through it and he's more than the person I remember," Judge Culpepper said. "He's shredded. He really looks good and healthy and he's really inspiring. I saw him at the lowest of the low, and now he's beyond what he was."
Judge Culpepper played in 13 games last season, primarily on special teams, and devoted himself to carving a role on defense. He continues to do that despite expectations.
Franklin said last year that he's often careful with highly recruited players or those with famous families, which can place "unrealistic pressure" on them. With a father who played defensive tackle in the NFL, Judge Culpepper naturally arrived at Penn State with advanced technical understanding.
Now, he plans to put that to use.
"He's just going to continue to work himself into a [being] good player and have a nice career," Franklin said last fall. "I don't think there's any doubt about that."
One more story. While home in Tampa during the spring campus shutdown, Culpepper met the new neighbor. His family lives in the same neighborhood as former New York Yankees star Derek Jeter, whose house now is occupied by Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady.
At first, curious crowds and media overwhelmed the neighborhood, so the Culpeppers kept their distance to give Brady his privacy. But one day, Judge waved to Brady from their nearby docks. They then talked briefly about boats.
"It's kind of insane," Judge Culpepper said of his new neighbor. "No one really believes me, and I'm OK with that. They can come visit and see for themselves."
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