5 Freshmen Who Could Make an Immediate Impact for Purdue Football in 2026

Purdue brought in 25 freshmen as part of its 2026 recruiting class. We're taking a look at the handful who could immediately make an impact for the Boilers.

Purdue Boilermakers head coach Barry Odom looks down the field. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

As Purdue looks ahead to the 2026 season, Barry odom is going to be looking for guys who can make an impact on the field. The Boilermakers brought in a lot of talent from the transfer portal, but there are a handful of freshmen who could also carve out a role for themselves this year.

Who are the rookie candidates with the best opportunities to make an impact in 2026? Below are five players who could work their way into Purdue's rotation this season. Don't be surprised, though, if someone who isn't on this list surprises you this fall.

Brayden Sweeney, LB

Sweeney finds himself in a linebacker room that doesn't have a ton of experience. There are some productive players at that position like Charles Correa, Hudson Miller, Jojo Hayden and Tre Moore, but it's a group that doesn't have a ton of depth.

Coming out of high school, Sweeney was a three-star prospect and had a lot of success at the high school level in Michigan. With limited experience and depth in the linebacker room, he has an excellent opportunity to be part of Purdue's rotation as a freshman.

Ar'Mari Towns, TE

Towns was the highest-rated prospect in Purdue's 2026 class. He has good size at 6-foot-6, 225 pounds and was an excellent pass-catcher during his prep career. In his senior season at Southside Selma, he caught 39 passes for 724 yards and seven touchdowns.

Towns will have to prove he's capable of being a good blocking tight end, but he possesses the size and pass-catching ability to be a factor in Purdue's offense in some capacity. He likely won't be the team's top tight end option this year, but he'll be a player who makes his way onto the field.

Rico Schrieber, OL

Schrieber is one of two freshmen offensive linemen who received high praise from new offensive line coach Zach Crabtree. He arrived on campus in the winter and was able to work through spring practice with the Boilermakers. That's a great starting point, getting acclimated to major college football.

Purdue's starting front line is going to be tough to crack, but Schrieber is a likely candidate to be part of the two-deep this coming season. The Boilermakers need quality depth up front, and he provides that. He also has outstanding size at 6-foot-8 and 330 pounds.

Josiah Hope, DL

Hope was another coveted prospect in Purdue's 2026 recruiting class. As a junior at North Hardin High School in Kentucky, Hope put up monster numbers. He was responsible for 61 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, seven sacks and two forced fumbles.

The interior defensive line is an area where Purdue is lean and needs to show improvement quickly. Like many freshmen included on this list, Hope may not be a starter on the defensive line, but he could be a serviceable rotation player who helps stop the rushing attack.

Jacobo Echeverria Lozano, K

Purdue's special teams unit has been an overlooked concern throughout the offseason. The Boilermakers are replacing both field goal kicker Spencer Porath and punter Jack McCallister. Those are some significant shoes to fill.

Lozano will battle for the starting kicker job with Seth Turner. Obviously, only one of those guys can win that job, but the freshman has a great chance to prove he should be the first option. He was ranked as the No. 10 kicker in the country in the 2026 class by Kohl's Kicking Camps.

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