5 Purdue Football Transfer Additions Who Have Helped Their Case in Fall Camp
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Fall camp is winding down in West Lafayette, and Purdue will soon shift its attention to preparations for Indiana State and the start of the 2026 season. Coach Barry Odom believes his team has made significant progress since the spring and thinks this year's squad has something to prove.
Purdue hit the transfer portal hard following the 2025 season, improving its depth and experience at multiple positions. Who are the newcomers who have helped themselves the most during fall camp?
Odom has mentioned several guys, but reading between the lines, a few transfer additions have stood out in August.
Travis Terrell Jr., RB
Most of the talk at running back has centered around Fame Ijeboi and Jerrick Gibson. Those two were the headliners at the position from the transfer portal. Travis Terrell Jr. has put together a solid fall camp and could factor into Purdue's equation offensively and in the return game.
Running backs coach Cornell Ford has praised Terrell for his quickness, speed and toughness. Even though he's a smaller back at 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, but Ford said the Jackson State transfer isn't afraid of the physicality of the game. He also provides the Boilermakers with a home-run threat out of the backfield and on special teams.
Nuku Mafi, OL
Center Boaz Stanley has seemingly had the starting job at center wrapped up for quite some time, so he's not included on this list. Nuku Mafi, though, is an offensive lineman who has helped himself quite a bit because of his versatility. Purdue has experimented with the Oklahoma State transfer at guard, but was forced to take reps at left tackle because of Joey Tanona's injury.
Mafi played right tackle for one game at Oklahoma State and was the starting left tackle for 11 games for the Cowboys. He has gotten plenty of experience at left tackle in the spring and through fall camp with Tanona out, but his ability to learn and play multiple positions puts him in position to play quite a bit this fall.
Curt Neal, DL
Curt Neal had prior stops at Wisconsin and Illinois, so he understands what it takes to be successful in the Big Ten. Coaches have talked about Neal causing problems for Purdue's offensive line during camp, getting a good push up front and disrupting the backfield.
Purdue's interior defensive line struggled at times last season, especially after TJ Lindsey sustained an injury in September. Neal addresses that concern and gives Purdue a strong, 6-foot, 300-pound frame to clog up the middle. He can make a huge difference for the Boilers' run defense.
Jeremy Lewis, DE
Multiple defensive ends have had a strong fall camp for the Boilers, but Jeremy Lewis is a guy to keep an eye on when Purdue kicks off the season on Sept. 4. The junior college transfer has been causing problems off the edge and should be a big part of the pass rush this fall.
Lewis was highly productive at Iowa Western last season, accounting for 41 total tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks, four fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles and an interception. Coming to Purdue, the biggest question was whether or not that production would translate to the Big Ten. Through fall camp, it doesn't look like that's a concern.
Don Saunders, DB
Utah transfer Don Saunders is another guy who has received a lot of praise from his coaches and teammates. Wide receiver Chauncey Magwood said he loves going one-on-one with Saunders because if he can beat him on a route, he knows he'll "be ready" on game day.
At 6-foot-4, Saunders adds the size and length Purdue lacked in the secondary in 2025. He's also an experienced college player, yet still has something to prove. He's battled injuries during his career and is ready to make an impact for the entirety of a 12-game season.
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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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