Purdue Walk-On Devin Mockobee Taking Advantage of Increasing Opportunity

Redshirt freshman running back Devin Mockobee — a native of Boonville, Ind. — has found the end zone in back-to-back games for Purdue football. He led the team with 78 rushing yards in a 56-0 win over Indiana State.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Devin Mockobee was born and raised in Boonville, a small city in southern Indiana. But for those who don't quote know the area, he just says he's from the Evansville area. 

Mockobee was an underrecruited three-star running back coming out of high school. He had offers from Hanover College and Valparaiso before committing to Navy on a full-ride scholarship. 

But when the opportunity came knocking, one that would allow him to join his top college program, he ended up flipping his decision and walking on for the Purdue Boilermakers. 

"Purdue was always the dream school from the start," Mockobee said. "If I could have had a chance to go there from the beginning, I always knew that I sort of wanted to take that. So from there, I just thought I'd take my chances. See what happens."

Boonville's Devin Mockobee (5) fends off Gibson Southern's Owen Bryant (6) as the Gibson Southern Titans host the Boonville Pioneers in Fort Branch Thursday evening, October 15, 2020 :: © MIKE LAWRENCE / COURIER & PRESS via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Now in his second season in West Lafayette, Mockobee drew some attention during the team's offseason practices. Standing at 6-foot and 195 pounds, he isn't the most powerful runner on the roster, but he adds a much-needed element of quickness to the position group. 

"I haven't seen many kids move the way he's able to move, twist and contort his body, and be able to get into some of these holes that not everyone is able to get into," Purdue running backs coach Chris Barclay said. "He's got really good vision, and he has excellent velocity through the line. He's just a natural ball carrier."

Mockobee was a three-sport athlete at Boonville High School, participating in football, basketball and track. He was a state champion in the long jump as well as the runner-up in the 110-meter hurdles. 

He said being a multi-sport athlete helped with explosiveness, which translates to his running style on the football field. 

"He's slippery, a wet bar soap," Barclay said. "You know, it's just hard to kind of get a grasp on him. And he's slight in stature, but it's a blessing though. Because they have a hard time kind of locating him in there."

Mockobee say the first game action of his Purdue career during a 56-0 blowout of Indiana State in Week 2. He finished with a team-high 78 yards on 13 carries, which included a 14-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. 

It was the first scoring run of his college career, a moment he envisioned since he was still young. 

"That was a dream come true right there," Mockobee said. "Ever since being a little kid thinking 'I want to be out there one day, score my first touchdown.' And now I've done it, so just gotta keep making goals from here."

Sep 10, 2022; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Boilermakers running back Devin Mockobee (45) runs for a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Indiana State Sycamores at Ross-Ade Stadium / © Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

He was thrust into a more prominent role after starting running back King Doerue was forced to miss the team's road game against Syracuse last Saturday due to a calf injury. 

The Boilermakers did not find much success on the ground in the 32-29 loss, but Mockobee found the end zone for the second straight week on a 15-yard scamper. He would end the game with seven carries for 22 yards. 

Now with some extended game experience under his belt, the next step for Mockobee is to continue adding strength to his frame and taking advantage of whatever opportunities may arise. 

"I always knew I'd have to earn it from the beginning. Getting here, I just knew how to stay on the grindstone, and that still continues to this day," Mockobee said. "I still need to get better and do what I have to do. I just feel like it's been a long way that I've come so far, I still feel like I have a long way that I can go."

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