Ranking each position group on the Indiana defense

Indiana‘s defense should have talent all over the field in 2025, but you might be wondering: Which position is the Hoosiers’ biggest strength?

I’ll be ranking each Indiana football position group on defense here, and I’ll give a few reasons why I have each position at its given ranking. For this, I obviously put an emphasis on the starters at each position, but depth and young talent will also be considered.

If I have a position group toward the bottom, that doesn’t necessarily mean that I think it’s a weakness, but with the talented roster Indiana is slated to have in 2025, even the weakest positions could still be very solid.

So, without further ado, here’s my ranking of each of Indiana football’s defensive position groups ahead of the 2025 season.

1. Linebackers

In my No. 1 spot are Indiana’s linebackers, as I think they’ll be the most productive and crucial unit of Curt Cignetti‘s team.

The expected starters are senior Aiden Fisher and sophomore Rolijah Hardy, as the Hoosiers will utilize just two linebackers in their 4-2-5 defensive scheme. Fisher will be the weakside linebacker with Hardy lining up on the strong side, similar to how Jailin Walker played with Fisher a year ago.

Hardy is one of the brightest young stars on this Indiana team, while Fisher may be the most mature and dependable player the Hoosiers have. This gives the IU linebackers an impressive mix of youth and experience on their starting line, but it doesn’t end there.

Beyond the two starters, IU has talented linebackers in Isaiah Jones and Kaiden Turner who will be dependable backup options, but at this position, the Hoosiers will definitely lean on their starters.

It’s not the position with the most depth, but with a starting duo of Fisher and Hardy, I think that Indiana’s linebackers will be better than people are anticipating and are the best position group on Indiana’s roster.

2. Cornerbacks

The No. 2 ranking goes to the Indiana cornerbacks, as I think the CB unit is right up there with the linebackers as Indiana’s best positional groups.

Expected to start are D’Angelo Ponds and Jamari Sharpe, both of whom are returning starters from a year ago. This gives the Hoosiers great continuity at the position, which should be a huge part of why IU’s corners are expected to be some of the best in the Big Ten.

Ponds himself has a claim to be the best player on Indiana’s defense, and he very well might be, as the junior CB is getting looks to be a first-round pick in next year’s NFL draft. Sharpe may not be as electric as Ponds, but the redshirt junior will be one of the better corners in the conference and should complement the Hoosiers’ star nicely.

Ryland Gandy and Amariyun Knighten will be solid backups, but just like the linebacker unit, it’s more about the starters here. IU has one of the best duos in the country, making the cornerback unit a top-tier position for Indiana football in 2025.

3. Defensive line

Next up are Indiana’s defensive lineman, as they rank as my third best position group on Indiana’s defense.

Led by Mikail Kamara, who will be in the STUD position, this group has talent, but I don’t feel as if it’s quite as impressive as the positions mentioned above. That’s not at all to say that the defensive line group won’t be productive, but I’m more confident in other positions.

Alongside Kamara, WKU transfer Hosea Wheeler and returner Tyrique Tucker are expected to start at tackle, while Kent State transfer Stephen Daley will start at edge rusher. This gives IU a solid front four, but the depth on the defensive line is also respectable.

Texas State transfer Dominique Ratcliff will be an option at tackle as well, while Maryland transfer Kellan Wyatt could also make an impact at STUD. This gives the Indiana defensive line options, with it being an impressive unit overall despite my lower ranking.

4. Safeties

Finishing up, Indiana’s safeties come in as my lowest-ranking position, although there’s still a very good amount of talent on the Hoosiers’ final line of defense.

Expected to start is Amare Ferrell at strong safety, as he’ll return to the same role he held a year ago. Alongside the junior will be sixth-year senior Louis Moore, as he’ll start at free safety after transferring from Ole Miss to return to Bloomington.

These two form a very competitive starting line, but the lack of depth is slightly concerning. Devan Boykin is expected to start in Indiana’s rover position, but other than that, freshman Byron Baldwin Jr. and Seaonta Stewart Jr. are the main sources of depth.

Indiana has talent at safety, but compared to the rest of the positions on the Indiana defense, I feel the least confident in the Hoosiers’ safety unit.

That rounds out the position groups from this Indiana defense, as the Hoosiers should have another elite defensive group led by some great positional groups.