Dallas Cowboys Writers Tab Former Purdue OL Gus Hartwig as Shrine Bowl Standout
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It didn't take long for former Purdue offensive lineman Gus Hartwig to make a strong impression on some NFL teams. The former Boilermaker was named one of the "standouts" from the first day of practices at the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl by writers covering the Dallas Cowboys.
Hartwig, who was an anchor along Purdue's offensive line throughout his five-year career, wanted to show off his versatility to NFL scouts during his time in Arlington, Texas for the Shrine Bowl. He's off to a pretty solid start.
"Saturday was a great day to evaluate the one-on-one drills in the trenches. Hartwig was the most impressive of the bunch on day one," wrote Tommy Yarrish and Kyle Youmans of DallasCowboys.com. "His technique and hand placement was sound, stayed planted with a strong base and impressive first punch. He continued that success into a solid team period performance as well."
Hartwig started in 48 career games for the Boilermakers, primarily at center. During his time at the Shrine Bowl, he wants to show teams that he could play both the center and guard position, which could make him a more valuable commodity when the 2025 NFL Draft rolls around later this spring.
"My versatility — my ability to play guard," Hartwig told The League Winners when asked what he wants to showcase during Shrine Bowl practices. "I haven't really done that in games the past couple of years. Go out and be able to show that I can really compete against some of these guys."
Excellent rep here by Purdue OL Gus Hartwig and Michigan State OL Luke Newman in 2-on-2 reps today. pic.twitter.com/HRX2heIeYu
— Thomas Christopher (@ThomasCP_NFL) January 26, 2025
The Zionsville, Ind. native was a member of Purdue's 2022 team, which won the Big Ten West and earned a trip to the Big Ten Championship Game. Although the Boilers struggled over the past two seasons, Hartwig was one of the bright spots along the offensive line.
We're still in the infancy stages of the NFL Draft process, but Hartwig turning heads at the Shrine Bowl is certainly a good sign. We'll see if he receives anymore mentions from other teams throughout the week.
The 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 30. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET from AT&T Stadium in Arlington. NFL Network will broadcast the game.
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HARTWIG TALKS NFL GOALS: Former Purdue starting center Gus Hartwig is preparing for the annual Shrine Bowl. He talked about his NFL Draft preparation and what he wants to prove to league scouts. CLICK HERE
MARSHALL RETURNING TO PURDUE: Former Purdue receiver Bilal Marshall is reportedly joining Barry Odom's staff in West Lafayette as an assistant coach for the 2025 college football season. CLICK HERE
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TRACY EARNS ALL-ROOKIE HONORS: Former Purdue running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. was named to the PFWA NFL All-Rookie Team after rushing for 839 yards and five touchdowns with the New York Giants. CLICK HERE
Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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