Rondale Moore opted out of the 2020 Purdue football season, instead choosing to declare for the NFL Draft. InkFreeNews file photo by Mike Deak

By Mike Deak
InkFreeNews

WEST LAFAYETTE – Another superstar college football player has chosen to opt out of the 2020 season, and this one is a backbreaker to the Purdue Boilermakers.

Junior Rondale Moore, who electrified the Purdue program in 2018 and was the lynchpin in the Boilers’ upset of No. 2 Ohio State the same season, has chosen to opt out of the 2020 season and focus his intentions on the NFL.

In a post to his social media platforms, Moore stated:

“To all the Purdue fans who made me feel so welcomed and have supported my team and myself over the last two years:

“Being a Boilermaker has been everything I hoped for and more. We’ve experienced some great moments together. The entire staff and university have helped me grow not only as a football player, but also as a man.

“My goals during my college experience were to earn a degree and prepare for a possible opportunity in the NFL. With the help of tremendous academic support and a remarkable group of professors, I am on track to complete my degree in 2.5 years, this December. Additionally a great coaching staff, phenomenal teammates, excellent athletic trainers, and an unbelievable strength and conditioning support team has put me in a position to realize my dreams.

“Given the unprecedented circumstances we are currently living in, the best choice for my family and I is to opt out of the upcoming season and prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft. This is a bittersweet decision because I always assumed I had more great moments at Ross-Ade Stadium ahead of me, and I will greatly miss the entire community. Please accept my heartfelt gratitude. #boiler4life”

Moore, a 2018 graduate from New Albany, was voted the Big Ten Freshman of the Year as well as a First Team All-Big Ten selection. He accumulated over 2,200 yards of offense and 14 touchdowns as a freshman, earning the Paul Hornung Award, given the country’s most versatile player in college football.

Moore played just four games as a sophomore, getting injured in the fourth week against Minnesota after garnering over 100 yards receiving against Nevada and over 200 against Vanderbilt.

In a statement Thursday evening, Purdue head coach Jeff Brohm offered, “We want to thank Rondale for his contributions to Purdue Football and the many memorable moments he gave Boilermaker fans during his time here. From the moment he first took the field, he electrified Ross-Ade Stadium and college football with his record-breaking performances and unique ability. He always represented our program with class and dignity, and we fully support him and his family as he pursues his professional future. Rondale is a special player and person, and we know he will be a star at the next level and beyond.”