IC Catholic’s Eric Karner quicky falls in love, commits to Purdue

Eric Karner couldn’t let the Purdue train pass him by.

Karner, a junior tight end for IC Catholic, had only just received his first collegiate scholarship offer from Western Michigan and watched his recruitment skyrocket with 12 offers. But once he visited West Lafayette, Indiana, and met the Boilermaker coaching staff, Karner knew he needed to jump on the young coaching staff’s momentum, committing March 7.

“It’s unreal,” Karner said. “A couple months ago, I didn’t think that I would be in this position. It’s crazy that I found a place with a coaching staff like Purdue, it’s honestly a blessing.”

Karner quickly became one of the hottest prospects in the state once Western Michigan offered. Illinois State followed the next day before Boston College, Michigan State, Kent State, Ohio, Pittsburgh, Coastal Carolina, Indiana, Minnesota, Fordham and Cincinnati all followed suit. Purdue offered during a visit on March 4.

The Boilermakers quickly impressed Karner with its coaching staff. First-year head coach Ryan Walters, who was Illinois’ defensive coordinator last season, led the Illini defense to be one of the best in the nation and Karner liked the amount of success its new coaching staff brought to West Lafayette.

Karner thought Purdue had success written all over it. He liked how convenient and new the facilities were, how organized everything seemed to be and the university’s business school.

Everything seemed to align for Karner and he didn’t want to wait. He committed three days later.

“After I left, I felt so confident about it, Purdue separated itself from all the other schools,” Karner said. “When I made my decision, I knew it was the right one.”

Karner’s star grew because of his success during his junior season and his physical traits. 247Sports lists Karner as a three-star prospect, the 17th-best in Illinois. As a tight end, Karner caught a touchdown to help the Knights win a Class 3A state title in November, capping a junior season where he was a threat both as a pass-catcher and a defensive lineman.

Karner always dreamed of playing college football but admitted that things became crazy once the first offers started coming in. Coaches across the country became interested in Karner’s potential and have continued to remain interested, with Texas A&M offering after his commitment.

“It was a crazy experience,” Karner said. “As a kid I dreamed of this. … It gives me one more reason to work harder because I know I have something going for me.”

Despite fulfilling a childhood dream, Karner admitted he was relieved to be done with the recruitment process. He’s excited to focus on becoming better as a player during the offseason and trying to win a second straight state title before leading Purdue to its best four years in program history.

“It’s honestly one of the better decisions I made committing so early, because I know that I can focus on my team this season and I know that once I get done with my senior season, I will have a better place to go to,” Karner said. “Having my motivation comes from a place of wanting to make my four years at Purdue the best four years Purdue has had and that’s all the motivation I really need.”