In-State Defensive End Picks IU Over Purdue

The Boiling Point: Purdue loses battle for in-state defensive end to Indiana.

Just a day after 2013 basketball recruit Derek Willis backed out of a verbal commitment to Purdue, one of the best football prospects in the state of Indiana chose the Boilers’ arch-rival.

Carmel’s Shawn Heffern, a 6-foot-6, 240-pound defensive end, finally settled on IU after waffling between the two schools in recent weeks. A big reason Heffern committed was the large number of in-state guys IU’s already locked up. Of the 16 for its 2012 class, nine are from Indiana.

Heffern’s decision is certainly a slap in the face to Purdue because of its ability to develop defensive ends into pros. The Boilers have a number of starters in the League, including Shaun Phillips, Cliff Avril and Ray Edwards.

Heffern also had offers from Central Michigan, Toledo and Western Michigan.