NEW YORK – He had options ranging from Rutgers to Vanderbilt to West Virginia to Baylor and more, but in the end, it was Purdue that won out for Blair Academy (NJ) 2020 defensive back Sanoussi Kane. The talented defensive back made his decision public moments ago from the Harlem Jets’ field in front of his family, trainers, former coaches, peers, and members of the NYC community.
“The coaching staff,” Kane responded when asked by Beasts Of The East why he picked the Boilermakers. “The coaches are great people who truly care about their players. Just by talking to them you know they want to win, and want to win now. I felt like that was an environment that I could really thrive in.”
Kane can play cornerback or safety, and it’s even possible that he grows into an outside linebacker/hybrid safety at the next level. He spoke about how Anthony Poindexter and the staff in West Lafayette plan to use him once he gets on campus.
“They think I can play all three safety positions: free, strong, and nickel,” he shared. “Right now that’s where they see me. I might play some corner, but I’ll get to campus and we’ll go from there. It could depend on how much I grow, as I could also potentially play linebacker eventually. We’ll just see how it all goes from here.”
Kane plans to enroll early at Purdue in January of 2020, following his senior season. While he wants to help the Bucs win a league and state title first, he already has his eyes on some team and individual goals for his college career.
“My biggest goal is to win a national championship,” he stated confidently. “I think right now we’re on track to do it. We’re getting a lot of great players in this year’s class. Last year’s class was also a great class. I think we have the foundation to go compete with the Clemsons, the Ohio States, the Alabamas of the world.
“My personal goal is to just be the best player I can be. I think seeing where I was two years ago, being a kid that was 140-pounds, going from where I was then to where I’m at now, being able to commit to Purdue, if I just keep my head down and work, everything will work itself out.”
When he heads from the Big Apple to West Lafayette, he won’t be alone. Fellow NYC-native Tirek Murphy is also committed to Purdue in the 2020 class, while another New Yorker, Amad Anderson, was a freshman last year. Additionally, SJR (NJ) 2020 QB Michael Alaimo just pledged to the Boilermakers, as did Lenape (NJ) LB Clyde Washington, and a couple others from the region are firmly on the radar. Having some familiar faces in the locker room is certainly a positive for Kane as he embarks on his college career over 750 miles away from home.
“It will be a great experience because we all have that same swagger,” he told BOE. “We have that East Coast swagger. We’re bringing that toughness, that grittiness that we have. I think that’s really going to add another element to the team when we all get out there.”
Finally, now that he’s committed to the program, Kane plans on helping the staff to put some other players in Black and Gold.
“We’re going to try and get Cullen Coleman, definitely,” he said. “Anyone that the staff says we need, I’m going to try to go after. Max Melton, from Jersey, is another one. He may be hard to swing from Rutgers, because his brother goes there, but we’re going to try and get him. I definitely want to help get the East Coast pipeline to Purdue flowing.”
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