Purdue Football 2026 Position Preview — Tight Ends

• George Burhenn (Jr.) — Burhenn is Purdue's most experienced tight end, but injuries have derailed him over the last two seasons. He played in 11 contests as a freshman in 2023 but has logged just eight total games over the past two years. When he's healthy, Burhenn is a weapon in Purdue's passing attack. He's totaled 15 catches for 171 yards and a touchdown in his career.

• Luca Puccinelli (So.) — The Wake Forest transfer appeared in just three games for the Boilermakers last fall, playing in the first two games against Ball State and Southern Illinois, then the season finale against Indiana. He totaled three receptions for 24 yards, all coming against the Hoosiers.

• Jon Grimmett (Fr.) — Grimmett was a three-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting class but did not see any action for the Boilermakers in his freshman season.

• Luke Shorter (Fr.) — Shorter was a freshman at Purdue last season and did not appear in any games. He was an Academic All-Big Ten selection.

• Jackson Berryman (So.) — A Texas native, Berryman is a tall target in the passing attack at 6-foot-8. He did not see the field for the Boilermakers during the 2025 campaign.

Newcomers

• Kylan Fox (Jr.) — Fox comes to Purdue from UCF, where he played in 23 games across two seasons. He saw an uptick in his production in 2025, hauling in 16 receptions for 137 yards and a touchdown. He has played in more games than any other Boilermaker in the tight end room, providing the team with some much-needed experience.

• Cooper McCutchan (Fr.) — McCutchan was a heavily-recruited tight end out of Cincinnati. He committed to Purdue over offers from two dozen other Power Four programs. He had 365 receiving yards and seven touchdowns as a senior last season and was a three-star prospect in the 2026 class.

• Ar'Mari Towns (Fr.) — Towns was ranked as a top-50 tight end in the 2026 recruiting class and held offers from several programs. He finished his senior campaign with 39 catches for 724 yards and seven touchdowns. He was a three-star prospect.

Need more production

Purdue's tight ends don't have to be the focal point of the offense, but the group does need more production in 2026. Last season, the Boilermakers had just 233 yards from their tight ends, 100 of those attributed to Rico Walker, who entered the transfer portal following the 2025 season.

Burhenn is a player who can produce at a high level, but injuries have been a problem over the last two seasons. He played in just four games last season, yet still managed to finish the year as the team's second-leading tight end with 94 yards.

The addition of Fox from the transfer portal should be a significant addition and allow the Boilermakers to utilize their tight ends a little better this fall. Plus, there are some skilled freshmen in McCutchan and Towns who could potentially carve out a role.

Regardless of who is on the field for Purdue in this position, it needs to be more productive. The combination of a healthy Burhenn and Fox is a solid tandem that can achieve that goal.

Limited on experience

Heading into 2026, Purdue really only has two players on the roster at tight end with any experience: Burhenn and Fox. Those two will be expected to carry a majority of the weight at that position.

Puccinelli is the only other player at the position who has stepped onto the field, playing in just three games last season. That lack of depth and experience should create a sense of urgency to develop the younger talent in that room.

This is one of the position groups with some questions to answer entering 2026. Health is going to be of primary importance this fall for the tight ends.

The biggest question

Who is the young guy in the room who steps up and works his way onto the field? Purdue doesn't necessarily have to have a third tight end if Burhenn and Fox remain healthy, but it would be advantageous for Barry Odom and the Boilermakers to have a few options at that spot.

Berryman's 6-foot-8 frame is intriguing. His size would provide quarterback Ryan Browne with a big target in the passing attack and could be a difficult player to defend. McCutchan and Towns are a pair of incoming freshmen who could make impacts for the Boilers, as well.

This is an important fall for Purdue's tight ends. So, who are the underclassmen who take advantage of the opportunity? It may not pay off in a ton of snaps this season, but development at that position will help the Boilermakers with depth for 2026 and beyond.

One final thought

Purdue has lacked a sure-handed target at tight end in recent years, a byproduct of injuries and a lack of depth. Burhenn could be that individual for the Boilers, but he needs to remain healthy for an entire season. Odom was able to bolster that room by adding Fox to the mix, which should provide a little more stability.

What the Boilers need offensively is a player at tight end who can be a legitimate weapon in third-down passing situations. The tight ends also need to improve as blockers to be more well-rounded on the field.

This isn't a group that has much experience, so it's going to be interesting to see how the depth chart shakes out when the opening kickoff against Indiana State rolls around.