Name: Dustin Keller
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 240
40 Time: 4.53
Position: TE
College: Purdue
Birthdate: Sept. 25, 1984
Hometown: Lafayette, IN
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NFL Draft Scouting Report
Good receiving skills … Average size, having added weight and converted from wideout … Great athlete … Runs well … Goes up to get it … Decent hands … Tough to bring down. Not a blocker. Great release off the line. Ability to elude after the catch.
NFL Combine
- 38 inch vertical leap.
- 4.53 40 yard dash
Raised profile substantially with his low 40 time and his excellent all around workout.
College career
Senior Year
v ND: Wide open for short TD over the middle, but negated by a penalty … Short catch and nice move to avoid LB and drive upfield for 10 … Catch on third and long short of marker, but overpowered DB to get first down … Twisting leaping grab on corner route and reached for goalline as he fell to the floor for 14 yard TD // v Iowa: Leaping grab in endzone for 14 yard TD despite big hit // v PSU: Found spot in zone for third down conversion for 12 yards, using body … Catch on third and six and turned upfield for 10 … Short catch but fumbled, although it was recovered by his teammate … 18 yard catch out to sideline … 8 yard catch over the middle // v UCM (Motor City Bowl): Catch downfield and broke tackle at midfield to race clear for 62 yard TD … Catch over the middle breaking tackles for 18 … Catch down seam and broke tackle for 36 … Broke tackle on pass to the flat and powered upfield for 16 … Juggling 9 yard catch in traffic … Key 15 yard catch on sideline was negated by a timeout before the play … Finished 7-150
Junior Year
Honorable mention All-Big Ten (media) … appeared in all 14 games, including 12 starts … third on team with 56 receptions for 771 receiving yards (13.8 average) … third on squad with four receiving touchdowns … 771 receiving yards are second-most among tight ends in school history while 56 receptions are fourth-most … named John Mackey Tight End of the Week after having four receptions for career-high 148 yards and a touchdown vs. Ball State on Sept. 16 … had catches of 60 and 69 yards in that game … caught career-high six balls for 119 yards vs. Minnesota on Sept. 23 … equaled career high of six receptions for 91 yards and a touchdown at Northwestern on Oct. 14 … had third six-catch game for 69 yards and a career-high two touchdowns at Hawai’i on Nov. 25.
Sophmore Year
Appeared in 10 games as reserve and on special teams … had 13 catches for 128 yards (9.8 average) and three touchdowns … had season-high three receptions for 53 yards and first two-touchdown game of career vs. Akron on Sept. 10 … missed game at Minnesota on Sept. 24 with sprained ankle … had season-high tying three catches for 21 yards and a touchdown at Wisconsin on Oct. 22 and three catches for 18 yards at Indiana on Nov. 19.
Freshman Year
Moved from wide receiver to tight end … appeared in nine games, including one start … had five receptions for 102 yards (20.4 average) with two touchdowns … caught 47-yard touchdown pass vs. Syracuse on Sept. 4 … had season-high three receptions for 41 yards vs. Ball State on Sept. 11 … started vs. Ohio State on Nov. 13 and caught game-winning 14-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Orton with 2:17 to go in game.
Redshirt Year
Did not play.
High school career
Named one of top 50 receivers in nation by Street & Smith’s and first team all-state as senior after setting state records with 113 receptions and 1,804 yards (16.0 average) with 22 touchdowns … runner-up for state’s top receiver award and finalist for Mr. Football … named area Co-Offensive Player of the Year by Journal & Courier … coach was Fred Kutruff … also participated in basketball and track and field … captured state high jump championship as senior, clearing 6-9 in a steady rain, after finishing second his junior year with a personal-best 6-10.
Video Highlights
Background
Given name is Dustin Kendall Keller … born Sept. 25, 1984 … organizational leadership and supervision major … enjoys playing all sports … late father, Willie Jr., played basketball at Moorehead State College … mother, Maureen, and grandmother, Linda Orr, are Purdue graduates … grandfather, Dale Mulvey, played on 1952 Purdue football team that won Big Ten championship … brothers, Dwight and Drew, attended Purdue … great grandfather, Robert P. Siskind, was electrical engineering professor at Purdue.