MACEDONIA, Ohio -- Purdue bolstered its 2019 football recruiting class with two commitments in 24 hours from the Greater Cleveland area.
Nordonia cornerback Nyles Beverly announced Tuesday on Twitter that he committed to the Boilermakers. It came just a day after Padua linebacker Crishawn Long gave his pledge to the Big Ten school.
Beverly visited Purdue on Monday and said he made his decision while touring the campus.
"I just fell in love with it," Beverly said, "and knew this was the place."
He picked Purdue over Michigan and Kentucky. The 5-foot-11 cornerback held 17 offers, according to 247Sports.com. That list grew after his junior season, which Nordonia coach Jeff Fox said enticed college coaches who watched his film.
Beverly's ascension led to an invite earlier this spring to Nike's The Opening Regional in Massillon. His commitment Tuesday is becoming somewhat commonplace for cornerbacks at Nordonia, which sent Denzel Ward three years ago to Ohio State. The Browns took Ward with the No. 4 pick in this year's NFL Draft.
"It seems like we've had a corner go per year," Nordonia coach Jeff Fox said. "It's the style we play. We've been able to play it because we have great kids."
Like Ward, Beverly thrives as a physical cornerback.
"Nyles definitely got recruited off his film," Fox said. "He's a corner that can cover."
Beverly added, "Man coverage is one of my favorite things to do. I love being physical and being up in the receiver's face."
Long, a 6-2, 200-pound linebacker, picked the Boilermakers over several Mid-American Conference schools and Cincinnati. He held 15 Division I offers after leading the Padua defense during a Division III playoff year.
He finished last year with 71 tackles, including 11 tackles for loss and two sacks. He also is used at running back and on kick returns.
"He's got dynamic athleticism that has made him such a big recruit, but he's tough, too," Padua coach Mike Polevacik said.
Long visited the West Lafayette, Indiana, campus on Friday and Saturday and told Polevacik the academics and strength and conditioning programs were among the standouts.
"He wanted to get away from home a little bit and felt like Purdue was a great place," Polevacik said. "It's close enough to see the family and far enough to get the college experience."
Long is Padua's second Division I college commitment this year, joining Cincinnati-bound tackle Jimi McAdams.
Purdue is coming off a 7-6 season under second-year coach Jeff Brohm. Their 2019 recruiting class, which includes five total from Ohio, is ranked 24th in the nation and sixth in the Big Ten by 247Sports.com.
"I believe in everything coach Brohm is doing at Purdue," Beverly said. "I feel like they have something special and I can be a part of it."
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