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Jamari Sharpe trending to start opposite D’Angelo Ponds in Indiana’s secondary as fall camp begins

Browning Headshotby: Zach Browning07/30/25ZachBrowning17
Jamari Sharpe
Photo via @jamarisharpe on Instagram.

As Indiana football opens fall camp, the focus shifts squarely to one of its most crucial position battles: who will start opposite All-American cornerback D’Angelo Ponds.

The early answer appears to be redshirt junior Jamari Sharpe, who emerged from spring camp as the frontrunner after earning the starting nod in Indiana’s spring game. Head coach Curt Cignetti confirmed that Sharpe is trending toward holding that spot when the Hoosiers kick off the 2025 season.

“We will evaluate them daily and do what gives us the best chance,” Cignetti said last week at Big Ten Media Days in Las Vegas.

Sharpe, who has played in 24 career games (12 starts), brings a steady veteran presence to the secondary. He began much of the 2023 season as a starter under former head coach Tom Allen before becoming Indiana’s top reserve at the position behind Ponds and Jamier Johnson in 2024.

When Johnson was sidelined late last season, Sharpe stepped up. He started in the College Football Playoff matchup against Notre Dame and performed admirably on the sport’s grandest stage. That reliability has carried weight with the coaching staff.

Sharpe finished last year with 13 tackles, a half-sack and a fumble recovery, but his value extends beyond the numbers. With quarterbacks likely to avoid testing Ponds, Sharpe will be tasked with holding up in heavy one-on-one coverage.

“I think he’s grown up a lot and improved as a football player,” Cignetti said Wednesday. “He has a couple of guys breathing down his neck that have a chance to be good players too, so we’ve got good competition at that field corner spot.”

While Sharpe has the inside track, he is not the only candidate for the job.

Ryland Gandy, a Pitt transfer, is firmly in the mix. Gandy brings extensive experience, appearing in 29 games with 13 starts for the Panthers. His track record of surviving on an island without much safety help could fit seamlessly into Indiana’s defensive scheme.

Freshman Jaylen Bell impressed during spring camp as well, flashing athleticism and ball skills. He may still need time to adjust to the college game, but his upside is undeniable.

Northern Illinois transfer Amariyun Knighten also factors into the equation. Knighten, who missed Indiana’s spring game with an injury, is now fully cleared for camp.

For now, he is slotted as the primary backup to Ponds on the boundary, but his playmaking ability — highlighted by an interception that set up NIU’s upset win over Notre Dame last season — could allow him to push for more snaps.

For Sharpe, this camp represents a defining moment. After years of waiting behind established starters, he is on the verge of solidifying himself as a full-time fixture in the Hoosiers’ secondary.

Cignetti’s message was clear: the starting job will go to the cornerback who performs best on a daily basis. But if Sharpe builds on the momentum from the spring, Indiana could field one of the Big Ten’s most formidable cornerback tandems with Ponds and Sharpe patrolling the edges.

As fall camp opens, all eyes will be on Sharpe to see if he can close the deal.

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