Indiana football's on-field success starting to pay dividends in recruiting

Winning can solve anything, and Indiana Football’s recent recruiting success is evidence of that.

For years, Indiana football has struggled to recruit, losing in-state battles to Purdue as the top Indiana recruits have rarely looked at playing for the Hoosiers.  

Since 2020, the Hoosiers have had just one top-ten recruiting class in the Big Ten, according to the Rivals Rankings.

The 2026 class is currently ranked 10th in the Big Ten, but there have been signs of improvement that are direct results of Indiana’s on-field success.

“I think they are in a fine spot for where they should be in recruiting,” Rivals recruiting expert Greg Smith said on ISB Radio with Jim Coyle.

The Hoosiers currently have landed 22 commitments, including five players ranked as four-stars according to Rivals Industry Rankings.

One big sign is top programs like Ohio State trying to hijack Indiana commits.

“Notice the other teams trying to come in on Indiana commitments,” Smith said.

Ohio linebacker Ja’Dyn Williams is the most recent example of this. Williams, who committed to play for Indiana in June, recently received a scholarship offer from Ohio State, and Smith said the Buckeyes are trying to get him on campus soon.

Some will say that Williams’ recruitment by Indiana had no effect on Ohio State’s decision to offer him. While that might be true, it is a sign that Curt Cignetti and his staff have done an excellent job of identifying talent.

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“That’s your first sign that Curt Cignetti and this staff have done a really nice job of first identifying under-the-radar talent and then two, getting them committed.”  

Cignetti and his staff have focused on production over potential in recruiting both high school players and in the transfer portal, and that mindset has worked well for the Hoosiers.

The next step for Indiana will be landing some of the top recruits in the country, and they have already put themselves in the conversation for one of the best players in the 2027 class.

Defensive lineman Jalen Brewster, the 7th best player in the 2027 class according to the Rivals Industry Rankings, is expected to make his decision this week, and the Hoosiers are one of the final seven schools in his recruitment.  

While it seems like a long shot that Brewster will commit to Indiana football, getting into these recruitment battles with the top power schools is a big step for the program.

“That next step is, can you get those top kids inside of [Indiana]?”

Smith expects the success Cignetti and Indiana have seen on the field to pay dividends in the 2027 and 2028 recruiting classes.

He mentioned Lawrence North wide receiver Monshun Sales as a name to watch for.

Sales is the top player from Indiana in the 2027 class and the No. 3-ranked wide receiver according to the Rivals Industry Rankings.

He currently holds offers from Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame, and several other top schools in addition to Indiana football.

If Indiana is able to land a commitment from Sales over other top programs, it would signal the start of a new era in the program’s recruiting.

Smith also spoke highly of Indiana’s lone 2027 commitment, Jameson Purcell.

“He fits in perfectly like a glove with what they want to do offensively,” Smith said. “…He will come to Indiana with a chip on his shoulder, feeling overlooked by other programs in the region.”

The Illinois native is ranked No. 388 overall in the 2027 class and picked the Hoosiers over offers from Nebraska, Wisconsin, Miami, and other schools.

Cignetti’s track record when it comes to developing quarterbacks speaks for itself, and Purcell could be the next great quarterback to come through his system.  

Indiana’s recruiting has taken a major step forward, but Cignetti and his staff know there’s still another level to reach.

That starts with keeping the top Indiana high school players in the state, and if the Hoosiers can continue their on-field success, it will make staying home an easier choice for the state’s top talent.

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