Purdue men’s hoops signs Vince Edwards, Dakota Mathias, Jacquil Taylor
From Purdue Athletics:
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue head coach Matt Painter and his staff announced that three prospects have signed National Letters of Intent and will begin competing for the Boilermakers in the 2014-15 season.
Ohio natives Dakota Mathias and Vince Edwards will join forces with Massachusetts resident Jacquil Taylor to comprise a class that fills the needs of the Purdue basketball program.
“It’s a class that can really help us with our skill level and decision making. I like all three guys and their versatility and their ability to play different positions and fit into our system, especially when it comes to our motion offense,” Painter said. “All three of these guys have a lot of the same characteristics in that they are hard-working guys, understand basketball, come from great families and I think when you have those characteristics, you are really going to fit in here at Purdue.”
It marks the first time since the 2007 November Signing Day (Lewis Jackson, Ryne Smith) that Purdue did not have an in-state signee, showing the Boilermakers’ strong national appeal.
“I think whether you sign in-state or out-of-state guys, everything gets cyclical. You always try to recruit your backyard and neighboring states, but when you have to branch out, it means there is a need there,” Painter added. “Dakota and Vince are both within a three-hour drive of Purdue and Jacquil fits our need. He really fits there in terms of how we play. All three of the guys have the makeup of what we need for success.”
Purdue’s 2013 Signing Class
Vince Edwards – F | 6-7 | 210 | Middletown, Ohio | Middletown High School
Details: Ranked as 80th-best prospect, the No. 2-ranked prospect in Ohio and a four-star recruit in America by ESPN.com; ranked as the 122nd-top prospect by Rivals.com. Named first-team All-Cincinnati Enquirer selection as a junior after averaging 21.0 points, 12.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.
Painter on Edwards: “We’ve cornered Vince for a long time and was a priority for us from day one after we saw him two years ago before his sophomore year. Vince fits our system and motion offense as a face-up four and I look at him as a big guard. His ability to rebound and cause mismatches as a face-up four will be his niche. He will be able to handle the basketball and push the basketball himself, very similar to what Robbie Hummel did for us. His ability to triple-threat, shoot threes, drive the basketball and be able to pitch and then get to the hole from that spot is really going to give us an advantage. He is one of the best rebounders that we have recruited. He really has a knack for knowing where the ball is and picking up the flight of the ball and chasing it down. We are very fortunate to get him and he will be a very productive player for us.”
Mixtape, courtesy of Iowa Elites:
Dakota Mathias – G | 6-5 | 190 | Elida, Ohio | Elida High School
Details: As a junior, Mathias averaged 25.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 6.4 assists while shooting 62 percent from the field and making 63-of-169 three-point attempts.
Painter of Mathias: “Dakota is a very intelligent basketball player that can dribble, pass and shoot, and simply understands the game very well. Probably the one thing that really jumps out to me after watching him is how selfless of a player he is. Normally, when you have guys that are that way, they don’t have a high skill level. He has a very high skill level. He just knows what is going on at all times and has a great presence on the court. We are very excited to get him and feel he is a guy that can play immediately for us. He has so much substance and understanding of how to play the game the right way.”
Highlight video, courtesy of Ethan Knopp: Mathias is No. 31 in black.
Jacquil Taylor – F | 6-9 | 215 | Cambridge, Mass. | Beaver Country Day School
Details: Averaged 15.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.2 blocks a game as a sophomore, being named the EIL Co-MVP. Was also named to the Boston Globe All-Scholastics Team. Three-star recruit according to ESPN.com and ranked as the No. 6 prospect in the state of Massachusetts. Worked out with Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon during the summer of 2012 to help expand his game. His brother, Maurice, plays basketball at North Carolina A&T.
Painter on Taylor: “Jacquil is a guy that we started recruiting at the end of the process and his story is something you were always doing before AAU Basketball came into play. Some kids wouldn’t play AAU and get on the circuit and would be under the radar. He was different in that he was under the radar because of his injury. He had a lot of people on him before his injury and in this business, when you get out of sight, you get out of mind. Our assistant, Jack Owens, did a great job of finding him and doing background on him and we feel we got a diamond in the rough. He reminds me of former Purdue player Gary McQuay. He is left handed, he is long and active and can step out and shoot the basketball. He has a chance, especially as he physically matures, to be a really good player. We feel very fortunate to get someone like him. He is a good kid who comes from a great family and he is really a hard worker. He has a skill level that can cause some matchup problems. He is just another guy that really fits our system.”
Highlight video from Hoop Dreams Magazine:
