Drew Brees Admires Loyalty of Devin Mockobee: 'Nobody Represents Purdue Better'
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The opportunities would have been available. If Devin Mockobee ever decided to enter his name into the NCAA transfer portal, he probably would have had more than a few attractive suitors. But the running back from Boonville, Ind., is a loyal individual, and Boilermaker legend Drew Brees has noticed.
In today's era of college football, the first sign of trouble can serve as a player's sign to explore new opportunities. That's never been the way Mockobee has operated, though. Rather than run from the trying times, he's decided to push through.
Brees, who spoke to Purdue Boilermakers on SI as part of a partnership with Abbott and the Big Ten Conference for the We Give Blood Drive, believes Mockobee embodies everything it means to be a Boilermaker.
"Here was a guy who walked on and ended up starting his freshman year and earning a scholarship," Brees said. "There isn't a guy who represents the Purdue program better in the history of the school than Devin Mockobee."
As a redshirt freshman in 2022, Mockobee played a critical role in Purdue's offense. He rushed for 968 yards and nine touchdowns, helping the Boilermakers to a Big Ten Championship Game appearance.
Following that season, he was rewarded with a scholarship by then-new head coach Ryan Walters.
The next two years, Mockobee continued to lead the team on the ground, rushing for 807 yards in 2023 and 687 in 2024. But his individual accomplishments didn't come with much team success. Purdue posted just a 5-19 record in those two years, resulting in Walters' termination and the hiring of Barry Odom.
Before his senior season started, Mockobee had played for three head coaches in five years. Most players won't stick around one program with that kind of turnover in today's college climate. But the Indiana native talked about the value of his engineering degree from Purdue and how much he loves putting on the black-and-gold uniform.
"That's what being a college student-athlete is all about," Brees said. "It's taking pride in everything that you do — the way you do everything is the way you do everything. How you conduct yourself in the locker room with your team as a player, but also as a leader. The way you value that Purdue education — those are the type of guys we want."
On Saturday, Mockobee's senior season will begin as Purdue hosts Ball State at Ross-Ade Stadium. There's hope that Odom and his staff can turn things around quickly and help this senior class, including Mockobee, taste success one more time before their time in West Lafayette concludes.
He also enters the 2025 campaign needing 1,170 yards to pass Mike Alstott as Purdue's all-time leading rusher.
Brees hopes to see Mockobee break the record and enjoy a year full of individual and team achievements this year. To him, nobody has earned it more than the former walk-on running back from Boonville.
"He takes such pride in the program, such loyalty to the program. I think he appreciates the opportunity Purdue gave him, and he wants to pay that back," Brees said.
"Those are the type of guys you want to win for, and those are the type of guys you want to build a successful program. He deserves to have all the success in the world."
Brees partnering with Abbott and Big Ten Conference
For the 2025 college football season, Brees is partnering with Abbott and the Big Ten Conference for the We Give Blood Drive, aimed to help "tackle the world's blood shortages."
The donation period runs from Aug. 27 through Dec. 5.
"I'm excited to team up with healthcare leader Abbott and the Big Ten Conference to announce the second year of the We Give Blood Drive," Brees said. "I gave blood for the first time because somebody brought me along to do it with them. I had never thought about doing it before. I began to realize what a big impact that made."
In addition to serving a good cause, there's also additional incentive to donate. The school that with the most blood donations will receive $1 million to advance student and community health initiatives.
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HOW TO WATCH PURDUE-BALL STATE: Purdue and Ball State will meet at Ross-Ade Stadium on Saturday to open the 2025 season. Here's everything you need to know about the game. 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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