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Purdue Running Back Devin Mockobee Gives Back to Hometown Community in Big Way
Purdue Boilermakers running back Devin Mockobee (45) rushes the ball Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK

Devin Mockobee put a chunk of his NIL money toward a good cause. The Purdue senior running back donated to his hometown youth football program in Boonville.

Mockobee made a $10,000 donation to Pioneer Junior Football and Cheer, supporting a program that helped him develop a love for football. The money comes from Mockobee's NIL earnings.

"Big thanks to Pioneer great (Devin Mockobee) for his generous donation to our youth program and time spent with current and future players today," Boonville football wrote on social media.

The senior running back stuck around for pictures and autographs with youth football players.

"When I was growing up, I got put into the youth league and actually going up through the youth league, my dad was the president of our youth league," Mockobee told Sam King of the Journal & Courier. "Every Saturday when we were coming out for football, it was getting here at 7 or 8 a.m. and we were setting up and we were staying there until 6 or 7 at night to tear it down. Every week in my life was football. It's where I fostered the love for it.

"Some of these kids out here, they might be wearing some of the same helmets and shoulder pads I did when I was a kid. I want to be able to give them something."

Mockobee left an imprint on the Boonville High School football program. He racked up more than 3,500 rushing yards in high school. As a senior, he ran for 1,820 yards and 24 touchdowns for the Pioneers.

Following his high school career, Mockobee was a walk-on for the Purdue football program in 2021. He didn't play as a true freshman, but earned the opportunity to see the field in 2022. That season, Mockobee was part of a Boilermaker squad that won the Big Ten West. He finished that year with a team-high 968 yards and nine touchdowns.

Mockobee has led Purdue in rushing each of the last three seasons. He has amassed 2,426 yards and 19 touchdowns on the ground and has added 624 receiving yards and two touchdown catches to his totals.

Entering the 2025, Mockobee will be one of Purdue's best offensive weapons.

This article first appeared on Purdue Boilermakers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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