Top 40 Prospect in 2028 Class Takes Visit to Purdue Basketball

One of the top prospects in the 2028 recruiting cycle took a visit to Purdue, as the Boilermakers start looking ahead to future classes.

Purdue Boilermakers head coach Matt Painter reacts after a call. | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Cole Kelly, one of the top prospects in the 2028 recruiting class, has recently taken an unofficial visit to Purdue. The 6-foot-7 forward from Illinois has already received numerous offers on the recruiting front, including one from coach Matt Painter and the Boilermakers.

Kelly posted photos from his unofficial visit to Purdue on social media. He is one of the top targets for the Boilers in the 2028 recruiting class. He currently attends Neuqua Valley High School (Ill.).

The visit comes roughly a month after Purdue extended an offer to Kelly.

The Naperville, Ill., product had a strong sophomore season at Neuqua Valley. He was named the DuPage Valley Conference Player of the Year after averaging 19.6 points, 7. 6 rebounds and 4.0 assists per contest.

Kelly has already earned scholarship offers from Purdue, Illinois, Ohio State, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Creighton, St. Louis, DePaul, Drake and Northwestern. He added an offer from Notre Dame on Monday.

According to 247Sports, Kelly is ranked as the No. 2 prospect out of Illinois and is considered the No. 37 overall player in his class. He has earned a four-star rating from the recruiting network.

What are Cole Kelly's strengths?

There's a reason why Kelly is considered one of the top-50 players in his recruiting class. He has a strong knowledge of the game and plays with great competitiveness every time he steps onto the floor.

What stands out immediately about Kelly is his ability to score in every way imaginable. He has the ability to take defenders off the bounce and score at the rim. He has great athleticism and can finish through contact, but can also throw it down over opponents.

Kelly is also a prolific shooter from behind the three-point line, knocking down more than 70 triples during the 2025-26 high school season. He moves well without the basketball and takes advantage of cutting lanes to get easy baskets.

Additionally, Kelly has a strong post-up game for a 6-foot-7 player. Basically, if he has the basketball in his hands, he's a threat to score.

Kelly has also proven himself as a tough rebounder, a player willing to crash the glass to create extra possessions. He's also a good passer, finding his teammates for open shots when he's unable to get a good look.

Finally, his length and athleticism allow him to defend multiple positions on the floor. Although he might be undersized in the post, he's capable of guard spots one through four. His versatility is a major strength of his game.

Kelly is already a popular target on the recruiting trail, and he's picked up steam this summer. It will be interesting to see what other programs offer the Illinois native and what schools ultimately interest him the most.

Obviously, it's still incredibly early with the 2028 recruiting class, but Kelly is one player to keep an eye on, as his game, knowledge and competitiveness would be a great fit in West Lafayette.

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