2027 WR Branden Sharpe Sets Commitment Date — What He Would Bring to Purdue
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Branden Sharpe, a Brownsburg wide receiver and one of the top prospects out of Indiana, has set a commitment date. The Purdue target will announce his college decision on Monday, May 18 at 6 p.m. ET.
The three-star prospect will make his announcement live on the Rivals YouTube Channel.
Sharpe has narrowed down his list of options to four schools: Cincinnati, Indiana, Purdue and Vanderbilt. The three-star wide receiver would be a big addition for the Boilermakers, especially as the program tries to pick up steam on the recruiting front.
The 5-foot-11, 160-pound receiver has put up excellent numbers the last two seasons at Brownsburg High School. As a sophomore in 2024, he accounted for 1,165 yards and seven touchdowns on 66 catches. Last year, the Bulldogs receivers hauled in 59 catches for 1,143 yards and 13 touchdowns.
What would a commitment from Sharpe mean for Purdue?
Would be Purdue's highest-rated pick-up so far
Sharpe is ranked as the No. 703 overall prospect in the 2027 recruiting class. He's also considered the No. 106 wide receiver and the No. 16 player from Indiana, per 247Sports.
If Sharpe commits to Purdue, he quickly becomes the highest-rated recruit in the recruiting class. Although recruiting isn't all about star ratings and rankings, it would be a nice boost for coach Barry Odom and his staff, and he could be a major domino to fall in the class.
The most important thing, though, is that he'd be the first in-state player to commit to Purdue in the cycle. The Boilermakers currently have four players committed in the 2027 class, all from out of state. If Sharpe commits, it could result in more in-state players verbally pledging to play at Purdue down the road.
Proven production at a high level
It's no secret that Odom has put a premium on production at every level when it comes to recruiting high school players or transfer portal prospects. Sharpe has been incredibly productive for one of the state's top football programs each of the last two seasons.
Sharpe has amassed more than 2,200 receiving yards and has caught 20 touchdown passes in the last two seasons at Brownsburg. In those two years, the Bulldogs have won a pair of Class 6A state titles and owns a 27-1 record.
Obviously playing in the Big Ten is an entirely different world, but he's already showcased his pass-catching ability at the highest level of Indiana high school football. Sharpe is a player who could carve out a role for himself quickly in West Lafayette, especially as a slot receiver.
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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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