#9

Mershawn Rice

WR · Purdue · Sr. · #9

Purdue 2023 alumnus
This season's coverage starts August 26 — check back once kickoff hits.

Mershawn Rice

WR · Purdue · Sr · #9

Limited signal — not enough coverage for a story yet.

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
—
No recruit profile
CFB
College
Purdue
2021–2023
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Not drafted

Coaching Lineage · 2021–2023

2 coaches
2021
2022
2023
Ryan Walters
Purdue
era →

Coaching transition mid-career: Jeff Brohm → Ryan Walters. Worth noting in scheme + development context.

2025 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

2021Purdue9-4HC: Jeff Brohm · Pass-leaning, fast tempo
2022Purdue8-6HC: Jeff Brohm · Pass-leaning
2023Purdue4-8HC: Ryan Walters · Run-leaning

Career stats

SeasonTeam
2023Purdue49323.20--
2022Purdue2328312.31--
2021Purdue66911.51--
Career3344513.52--

How he plays

Play style

Moves the chains on third down.

CFB Index positional classification

DNA match

Player DNA

Possession Receiver

Reliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive.

WR

His 2022 production profile sits closest to Blaine Green’s 2021 season.

Blaine Green

90%match

Oklahoma State · 2021

#2

Brian Cobbs

Maryland · 2021

86%
#3

J.J. Jones

North Carolina · 2022

83%
#4

Jadon Thompson

Cincinnati · 2022

80%
#5

Bub Means

Louisiana Tech · 2021

NFL Rd 5
79%

Matches Blaine on

Height
Total EPA (college ability)
Yards / reception
Based on 8 features · 2 seasons in pool · Opponent-adjusted weighted z-score distance

Through 3 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Elijah Moore’s path through Ole Miss.

Elijah Moore

100%match

Ole Miss · 2020

Consensus All-AmericanNFL Rd 2 · Pk 2
#2

Adrian Hardy

Louisiana Tech · 2020

All-Conference USANFL Rd 2 · Pk 19
99%
#3

Jalen Preston

Texas A&M · 2022

97%
#4

Daejon Reynolds

UNLV · 2025

97%
#5

Julius Young

Lafayette · 2022

97%

Matches Elijah on

Yards per reception
202120222023
Career-aggregate opponent-adjusted stats · physical traits

As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Brian Cobbs's sophomore season at Maryland (2021).

Brian Cobbs

92%match

Maryland · 2021

All-Mountain West
#2

JaVonnie Gibson

Oklahoma · 2025

86%
#3

J.J. Jones

North Carolina · 2022

84%
#4

Eli Pancol

Duke · 2021

82%
#5

Malcolm Gillie

Ball State · 2024

81%

Matches Brian on

Yards / reception
Reception volume
Total EPA (college ability)
Opponent-adjusted stats · sophomore cohort across all seasons

Player DNA

Players who play like Mershawn Rice

#1

Jalen Preston

Texas A&M · 2021

97%
#2

Daejon Reynolds

Pittsburgh · 2023

97%
#3

Mudia Reuben

Stanford · 2023

95%
#4

Chris Bell

Louisville · 2023

94%

Development

Development Trajectory · receiving yards

2021–2023
69.02021
2832022
93.02023

+35%

Up 35% from first season to most-recent.