Boilermakers Country

5-Star Guard, 2026 Prospect Reportedly on Visit to Purdue

Taylen (Tay) Kinney is reportedly on a visit to Purdue on Tuesday. The 2026 guard is a five-star prospect and is considered a top-20 player in his class.

Dustin Schutte

Newport sophomore Taylen Kinney races to the basket during the Ohio Valley Hoops Classic
Newport sophomore Taylen Kinney races to the basket during the Ohio Valley Hoops Classic / James Weber/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
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One of the top recruits in the 2026 class is reportedly on a visit to Purdue on Tuesday, ahead of the Boilermakers matchup against Ohio State at Mackey Arena. Per Sam Kayser of League Ready, five-star guard Taylen (Tay) Kinney has made the trip to West Lafayette.

Kinney, a 6-foot-1 guard out of Newport, Ky., recently trimmed his list of potential schools down to 15 options. Purdue was in the mix, along with Georgia, Kansas, Illinois, Tennessee, Kansas State, Auburn, Kentucky, Alabama, Oregon, Louisville, Cincinnati, Arkansas, Xavier and Notre Dame.

Per 247Sports, Kinney is ranked as the No. 19 prospect in the 2026 class, receiving a five-star rating.

Kinney began his high school career in Newport before transferring to play with Overtime Elite in Atlanta. So far this season, the five-star guard is averaging 21.3 points, 5.0 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. He's shooting 59.8% from the floor and 37.5% from 3-point range.

Purdue currently has one player committed in its 2026 class, landing a verbal pledge from three-star guard Luke Ertel, a 6-foot-1 guard out of Mount Vernon, Ind.

Kinney's visit to Purdue comes as the Boilermakers are in the middle of a seven-game winning streak, having most recently defeated Washington and Oregon in the Pacific Northwest. This week, Matt Painter and his team hosts Ohio State and Michigan.

Taylen Kinney highlights

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Dustin Schutte
DUSTIN SCHUTTE

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