After sitting out the season following last November's ACL Injury In the 2018 regular-season finale, Purdue defensive tackle Lorenzo Neal announced Friday afternoon that he'll return to the Boilermakers next season as a fifth-year senior.

The return of Neal, who was considered a potential first-day NFL pick following his junior season, if not a first-round pick, figures to be of great value to a Purdue defense that missed him badly this season, and now might field a particularly strong defensive line next season.

Ends George Karlaftis and Derrick Barnes are each slated to return after strong seasons, and tackle Anthony Watts gives the Boilermakers another veteran presence on the interior.

Neal, who was named a captain prior to the season and a 2018 honorable-mention All-Big Ten selection, practiced at various intervals during the season, including both bye weeks, but never appeared in a game, preserving the redshirt eligibility that will now allow for his return. A native of Houston, Neal has played in 32 career games with 63 tackles, 11.5 TFLs and and four sacks. His father enjoyed a 16-year career as a fullback in the NFL.



The Purdue defense needs help at several spots. And tackle is at the top of the list. The Boilermakers are undersized at the position. So the return of the the 6-3, 315-pound Neal is big news. He figures to start alongside senior-to-be Watts, a 300-pounder.



Beyond that tandem, Purdue will have sophomores-to-be in Lawrence Johnson and Jack Sullivan. Juniors-to-be Giovanni Reviere and Jeff Marks also will be back. And Steven Faucheux redshirted last season as a freshman.



Even with Neal announcing his return, Purdue still is seeking immediate help at tackle in the form of junior-college and/or grad transfers.



In 2019, the Boilermakers ranked No. 12 in the Big Ten vs. the run (192.5 ypg), No. 13 in total defense (436.3 ypg) and No. 12 in scoring defense (30.6 ppg).

