Purdue Football 2026 Position Preview

As we wind down our position previews for the Boilermakers in 2026, we look to the linebacker room next. We'll close it out with the defensive backs and specialists over the next few days.

Purdue's linebacker unit is an interesting one. Charles Correa may be the best overall defensive player on the team, but the Boilermakers lack experience and depth behind him. This is a group that must maximize reps during fall camp.

Here's a look at what Purdue has at linebacker entering the 2026 season.

Returners

USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) runs into Purdue Boilermakers linebacker Winston Berglund (20). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Charles Correa (Jr.) — Correa is Purdue's top-returning defensive player from 2025 and will be a leader for the Boilermakers. He finished last season with 96 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. He earned All-Big Ten honorable mention accolades, but is hoping to have an even bigger impact on the field this season. Correa has the potential to be an all-conference player and help Purdue's defense improve dramatically from last year.

Winston Berglund (Jr.) — Berglund has appeared in 14 games over the last two seasons, including 11 last year. He played in three contests in 2024 before suffering a season-ending injury. He's a player who is hoping to make a big leap this offseason and become a more prominent player at the linebacker position for the Boilermakers. Berglund was an Academic All-Big Ten selection.

Jaxon Ott (So.) — In his first season at Purdue in 2025, Ott saw the field in 11 of Purdue's 12 games, primarily on special teams. He was responsible for one tackle. The Indiana prospect was a member of the Boilers' 2025 recruiting class.

Owen Davis (Jr.) — Davis is entering his fourth season at Purdue. He has played in four career games for the Boilermakers, all coming in the 2024 campaign. The Ohio product has not recorded any stats.

Parker Meese (Fr.) — Meese used the 2025 season as a redshirt year. He did not play in any games in 2025 as a rookie and was a three-star prospect coming out of high school.

Newcomers

Purdue Boilermakers wide receiver Michael Jackson III (2) is tackled by Illinois Fighting Illini linebacker Jojo Hayden (30). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Hudson Miller (Sr.) — After spending last season at Toledo, Miller transferred back to Purdue and provides experience and depth at the linebacker spot. In 2024, he played in all 12 games for the Boilermakers, making five starts. In his lone season at Toledo, he appeared in 11 contests and was responsible for 10 tackles.

Jojo Hayden (Jr.) — Hayden was at Illinois for three years before transferring to Purdue. He played in 21 games for the Illini. He had his most productive year in 2025, racking up 26 tackles, including 1.5 for loss and a fumble recovery. Hayden is a candidate to compete for a starting job.

Tre Moore (Sr.) — Moore was incredibly productive during the 2025 season at San Diego. He tallied 61 tackles, six sacks, forced three fumbles, recovered two fumbles and had an interception. Purdue needs a player who can force turnovers at the linebacker spot and Moore fits that description.

Anthony Specca (Jr.) — In his two seasons at Penn State, Specca played in 17 games but wasn't part of the equation as much as he would've liked. The linebacker tallied 14 tackles across two seasons and is hoping to have a bigger role at Purdue.

Brayden Sweeney (Fr.) — Sweeney is the lone linebacker recruit in the 2026 recruiting class. He was a two-time All-State selection in Michigan and was a three-star prospect out of high school. How much of a factor could he be in Purdue's linebacker rotation?

A relatively young group

Purdue Boilermakers linebacker Hudson Miller (40) runs during football practice. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

If you look at the class listing, then seven of the 10 linebackers on Purdue's roster are juniors or seniors. Usually, that's a positive for a team. However, this particular group doesn't have a ton of experience. The only returning starter is Correa, who has a chance to be one of the Big Ten's better linebackers.

Berglund and Miller have both played meaningful snaps for the Boilermakers, but that's the extent of their experience returning. As for the newcomers, Moore was a productive player at San Diego and one of the most seasoned players at the position for the Boilermakers. Hayden had a solid 2025 campaign at Illinois and Specca played at Penn State, though he didn't impact the game much.

So, Purdue may have several upperclassmen at linebacker on the roster, but this is a group that is still young in terms of starts and meaningful experience. That could be a weakness for the Boilermakers, especially early in the season.

Forcing turnovers

Purdue Boilermakers head coach Barry Odom talks with a linesman. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

During spring practice, Purdue's defensive staff placed an emphasis on takeaways. The Boilers want to be sound defensively, but they also want to create more opportunities for the offense. That's going to require every position group to get in on the action, but the linebackers might be the most important piece to that equation.

Purdue's linebacker unit must be more effective at punching the football out of the hands of running backs. This group has to be more effective at defending passes and taking advantage of bad throws. Is this a collection of players that can do that consistently?

Moore and Correa are two players who will likely play an opportunistic brand of football. It's going to take more than two guys to help the Boilers out in this department, though.

The biggest question

Purdue Boilermakers linebacker Winston Berglund (20) jogs off the field. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Besides Correa, who is the player who steps up in that room? As talented as the junior is, he's going to need a lot of help around him if Purdue wants to make a sizable jump defensively.

Miller, Berglund, Hayden and Moore are the strongest candidates to make a big leap and produce at a high level for the Boilermakers this season. Could Sweeney factor into the mix? Are players like Specca, Ott or Meese ready for bigger roles?

Purdue has one outstanding player at linebacker heading into 2026. Other than that, there are questions about every other player in that room.

One final thought

Purdue Boilermakers linebacker Charles Correa (5) sacks Southern Illinois Salukis quarterback DJ Williams (1). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Purdue's linebacker unit is full of players who have experience, but not many have been regular starters at this level. Correa and Miller are the exceptions, both having started for the Boilermakers in the past.

Multiple players are going to be pushed into bigger roles and expected to perform to a higher standard. If they can make that leap, then Purdue's linebacker situation is going to be just fine. On paper, though, this is a group that has a lot of work to do.

The Boilermakers are having to replace Mani Powell and Alex Sanford at the linebacker position, two productive players. Can the newcomers replace that talent?

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