Purdue senior quarterback Aidan O’Connell will skip the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl against LSU on Jan. 2, he announced Thursday on Instagram.
Tight end Payne Durham, wide receiver Charlie Jones and cornerback Cory Trice have also opted out of the Citrus Bowl, the university said.
“These last six years have been some of the best of my life,” O’Connell wrote on Instagram. “I’ve experienced countless memories that I will carry with me forever. The Purdue fans and community have supported me through countless successes and failures. For that I’m eternally grateful.”
O’Connell thrived during the past two seasons under former coach Jeff Brohm, who left to take the Louisville head coaching job last week.
He threw for more than 3,700 yards and 28 touchdowns while leading Purdue to a pair of top-five upsets against Iowa and Michigan State in 2021. This season, O’Connell threw for 3,490 yards and 22 touchdowns as the program won its first Big Ten West title.
O’Connell played in the Big Ten championship game against Michigan on Dec. 3, just a little more than a week after the death of his oldest brother, Sean.
O’Connell went 32-of-47 passing for 366 yards and two interceptions in the 43-22 loss to the Wolverines.
He is ranked by ESPN as the No. 15 quarterback entering the NFL draft.
Jones, a transfer from Iowa who also served as Purdue’s primary punt returner, set a team single-season record with 1,361 receiving yards on 110 receptions with 12 touchdowns, earning first-team All-Big Ten honors. He led the FBS in both receptions and receiving yards, and was a second-team AP All-America selection.
Durham, a second-team All-Big Ten selection, ranked second behind Jones in receptions (56), receiving yards (560) and receiving touchdowns. Trice had two interceptions and 10 pass breakups for the Boilermakers, earning honorable mention All-Big Ten honors.
Jones ranks No. 84 in ESPN’s prospect rankings for the 2023 NFL draft, while Trice ranks No. 157 and Durham ranks No. 249.
ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg contributed to this report.
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