A breakout performer and star from the 2025 football season in Minnesota, Annandale’s Colton Purcell Colton Purcell 6'2" | 200 lbs | DB Annandale | 2027 State MN was an integral part of the Cardinals‘ 13-0 2025 season and Class AAA state championship on the gridiron. Additionally, the kid can hoop, and runs with the storied MN Fury AAU squad, but this winter on the prep scene he posted 24.9 ppg, 7.0 rpg, and 2.8 steals per game in 9 games of the seaosn before he unfortunately jacked up his knee hooping. However, he managed to pass 1,000 points hooping in late December, and Annandale went 23-6 in 2025-26, losing to Melrose in the section semifinal. Purcell also comes in at #28 in the PrepHoops 2027 Rankings, and the state champ with Annandale manufactured the best singular effort from any defensive player of the Prep Bowl, posting 3 picks in the win over Waseca while acting as a two-way dynamo for Annandale.

A big issue for small school defenders in the open field thanks to his speed/size combination, Purcell’s highlights primarily showcase his WR skillset, where his twitch + contact balance in the open field can create big plays on routine catches and put together highlight-worthy reps in a variety of settings. Purcell sees and exploits space after the catch and is a load for DBs to bring down 1v1, if they can even corral them, and he can cut at top speed, and also owns a huge catch radius. You can see the basketball background in his ball skills and when playing the ball in the air and/or 50/50 ball situations. Beautifully times his jumps, big-time bounce, strong hands and through contested situations, and Purcell is also an instinctive defensive back with impressive range in coverage from the defensive backfield. Tough to say how things are going to shake out right now given the injury and recovery, but boy is this kid a baller. Pay attention!