Purdue quarterback Aidan O’Connell and three teammates will skip the Citrus Bowl to prepare for the NFL draft.
Wide receiver Charlie Jones, tight end Payne Durham and cornerback Cory Trice also opted out of the Jan. 2 game in Orlando between the Boilermakers (8-5) and LSU Tigers (9-4).
O’Connell completed 64.1 percent of his passes for 3,490 yards with 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 12 games this season, leading the Boilermakers to the Big Ten West division title.
The 6-foot-3 senior leaves West Lafayette, Ind., ranked fifth in school history in touchdown passes (65) and sixth in passing yards (9,219).
Jones was named a second-team Associated Press All-American after leading the nation with 110 catches for 1,361 yards and 12 touchdowns. It was his first season at Purdue after transferring from Iowa.
Durham caught 56 passes for 560 yards and eight scores in 2022 and made the AP All-Big Ten second team.
Trice registered 34 tackles and two interceptions in 2022, returning one for a touchdown against in a Nov. 26 win at Indiana.
Austin Burton likely will start under center in the Citrus Bowl. Burton completed 24 of 32 passes for 199 yards with three TDs and one interception in four games this season.
–Field Level Media
