Two Defensive Players Absent From Purdue's Practice — How it Affects the Boilers
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Purdue defensive players Smiley Bradford and Anthony Speca have been absent from practice recently; two guys expected to factor into the Boilermakers' equation at different positions this fall. On Monday, head coach Barry Odom provided an update on both.
Bradford, a third-year defensive back at Purdue, is not currently with the program. It is unclear when he'll return, though he is still listed on the team's 2026 roster.
"Smiley stepped away from football activities, and is dealing with a personal matter," Odom said.
Bradford played in all 12 games for the Boilermakers in 2025, making one start. He's coming off a sophomore campaign in which he accounted for 37 tackles, five tackles for loss, seven passes defended and an interception.
Speca transferred to Purdue from Penn State following the 2025 campaign. Although no specifics were provided regarding his absence, Odom was confident that the linebacker would return for the Week 1 contest against Indiana State on Sept. 4.
The Pennsylvania native appeared in 17 games over the last two seasons for the Nittany Lions, accounting for 14 tackles.
How do the absences impact Purdue's defense?
Bradford is the more experienced player, but Speca's absence might actually be the bigger concern for the Boilermakers right now. Although Purdue expects him back soon, the linebacker position is thin heading into 2026.
With Owen Davis leaving the program, Purdue is down to nine linebackers on the roster. Speca's absence leaves the Boilers with just eight for the time being. Although there's skill and experience within that unit, it's a thin group.
Getting Speca back into the mix will be important for the defense, helping provide the quality depth Purdue wants at every position group. It forces linebacker Charles Correa and Jojo Hayden to carry an even heavier workload and requires someone else to step up.
Bradford has the opportunity to help Purdue out in the secondary again this fall, but the Boilermakers added a lot to their defensive backfield via the transfer portal. There's a lot of skill and experience in that unit, providing a nice buffer even with Bradford out of the equation.
Purdue added Don Saunders, John Slaughter, Justin Denson Jr., Jaden Mangham, Mister Clark, Dax Noles and Ta'Vari Hampton from the transfer portal. The Boilermakers also return Hudauri Hines from last season and bring in freshmen Jett Goldsberry and Emoni Smith, both having strong showings in fall camp.
The defense struggled last season, so Purdue needs all the help it can get. The news sounds positive on Speca, but Bradford's return remains up in the air.
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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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