It’s uncommon to see two players from the same position group on a team make their way to the same destination in the transfer portal – and even more rare when it’s unplanned. Yet, in the case of Purdue redshirt senior defensive back transfers Nyland Green and Kyndrich Breedlove, destiny called and reunited the pair in Tempe.
“[There was] not too much talking about it, but when we first had said like, ‘Hey where [are] you thinking about going?’ We both had said the same school,” Green said. “We figured out our visits [were] like the same day. So that’s when we figured out we were going to do this together.”
Perhaps it’s fitting that the two, who grew close in their lone year in West Lafayette, ended up moving across the country to pursue new beginnings. After all, they lived in the same apartment complex at Purdue and stayed just a few doors down from one another.
“That’s my brother,” Breedlove said. “At Purdue, we were with each other every day … None of this was planned. It’s by God’s grace we all got here at the same time [and] we’re together. I just can’t wait to see the success we have coming up this fall.”
Their camaraderie carried over into a shared passion off the field: fishing. Green headed an effort to teach the Boilermaker cornerbacks the ins and outs of angling, with Breedlove learning from his teammate and calling him a “top-tier fisher” in an interview at Purdue.
For Green, spending time on the water centers him and provides an escape from the day-to-day grind required by collegiate athletics.
“In my free time I like to fish,” Green said. “It’s very calming, relaxing, [you’re] not on your phone, just enjoying what God created.”
But now in Tempe, he’s fishing for something different – a fresh start.
As a 5-star recruit and the Georgia Region 4-AAAAAAA player of the year in his senior year, Green stared down mountainous expectations coming into college.
He ultimately decided to stay home in the Peach State and spent three years at Georgia, winning back-to-back national championships with the Bulldogs in 2021 and 2022. Following his third season in Athens, Green transferred to Purdue where he tallied 23 total tackles and experienced his fair share of highs and lows playing for a Boilermaker defense that ranked 122nd in the nation in passing yards allowed per game.
Despite showing flashes of potential throughout his career, Green hopes to build more stability in his fifth year of college.
“Being more consistent and being more direct towards the things that I need to do. Like ‘Hey, I need to be more focused [and] list out the things I need to do’” Green said about what he wants to work on this season. “Just being consistent and being more promising on the things that I set forth for myself.”
Nyland Green getting some defensive back work in. He’s been one of the standouts throughout the first week of spring practice.@InfernoIntel pic.twitter.com/w3BQ5397qn
— Adam Kunin (@adamkuninsports) March 30, 2025
With multiple seasons of college football under his belt, the veteran corner brings value with his experience. He provides a much-needed wise presence to a group that scales more toward youthful talent that continues to develop under cornerbacks coach Bryan Carrington.
“He’s a guy that this is his third Division I, power five program,” Carrington said of Green. “This is a guy that has a lot of experience. We lost one guy (senior) last year, so to bring a guy with that type of experience elevates the room because ideally, we should have a senior in this program, so that was the thought process in bringing Nyland aboard.”
Meanwhile, Breedlove also adds to the experience of the secondary, as the well-traveled defensive back has made stops at Ole Miss, Colorado and Purdue.
Playing at three vastly different schools allowed Breedlove to work with an impressive array of coaches, including famed cornerback and now third-year Colorado head coach Deion Sanders.
He believes it’s equipped him with the tools needed to make an impact in ASU’s secondary this fall.
“I feel like I can bring knowledge [and] game experience,” Breedlove said. “I’m a twitchy, cover guy. I can come down to tackle if I need to.”
Last season at Purdue, he posted 40 tackles and snagged a team-leading three interceptions.
But perhaps his most valuable asset is his unselfish approach. Breedlove maintains a team-first mindset; it’s a perspective that aligns with the vision of head coach Kenny Dillingham.
“I’m a guy that’s not going to be a Superman,” Breedlove said. “I’m going to come in and do my job, and be consistent, not be a selfish guy and cheer on my teammates.”
After experiencing a 1-11 season with the Boilermakers and a 3-9 campaign with the Buffaloes, he hopes to join an Arizona State squad that appears primed to repeat its success from the previous season.
However, opportunities may be hard to come by in the position group, with ASU’s top two cornerbacks in snap count returning, junior Keith Abney II and redshirt junior Javan Robinson, along with a multitude of promising defensive backs eagerly awaiting more playing time.
Still, the two have found ways to stand out in the first week of spring camp. Green has impressed with his coverage on the outside, while Breedlove has seen snaps in the slot — a position the Sun Devils are looking to fill in 2025.
Further, the inexperience and lack of solidified depth in the room give the veteran duo a reason to believe they have an opportunity to earn a role in the secondary this season.
And for Green, who illuminates a room with his beaming smile, an opportunity is all he needs to feel rejuvenated this spring.
“I’m always smiling,” Green said. “I’m happy to be blessed with the opportunity that I have to be here [and] just do what I love to every day [which is] play football and be blessed with an education. So it’s amazing to me, and why not smile.”
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