Curt Cignetti and the Indiana Hoosiers weren't down for long.
Just a few hours after IU was dealt a tough blow with the decommitment of 4-star CB Monsanna Torbert Jr, Cignetti was able to get the Hoosiers back on track.
On Monday night, Indiana landed a commitment from one of the top players in the state.
Indiana lands commitment from in-state WR Branden Sharpe
Class of 2027 WR Brandon Sharpe has committed to Indiana. Hailing from Brownsburg, the in-state product chose Indiana over other finalists consisting of Purdue, Cincinnati, Duke, and Vanderbilt. He announced his commitment live on the Rivals YouTube Channel.
Playing for Brownsburg High School, Sharpe helped lead the Bulldogs to a second-straight state title this past season. In total, the 5'11" 160-pound wideout racked up 1,143 receiving yards and 15 total touchdowns.
Sharpe comes to Bloomington ranked as the No. 79 wide receiver in the country and No. 13 overall player in the state of Indiana according to 247Sports Composite Rankings.
BREAKING: Class of 2027 WR Branden Sharpe has Committed to Indiana, he tells me for @Rivals⁰⁰The 5’11 170 WR from Brownsburg, IN chose the Hoosiers over Vanderbilt, Duke, and Purdue
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) May 18, 2026
“The best in Indiana, play at Indiana. Thank you Jesus”⁰https://t.co/5Mh4iTrF0k pic.twitter.com/mks5wMc6sy
It's clear that the winning culture Cignetti has built in Bloomington is extremely appealing to recruits like Sharpe.
“I would say the relationships I built with the coaches and the winning a National Championship,” Sharpe told Rivals following his commitment announcement. “Coming from a program that’s won two state championships, that winning culture is something I want to be around and I can see myself in that system.”
Furthermore, Cignetti's ability to attract and develop receiving talent makes Indiana an ideal landing spot for Sharpe. This past season, Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Sarratt were arguably the most lethal receiving combination in all of college football. They are now heading to the NFL, as Cooper was selected in the First Round with the 30th overall pick by the New York Jets and Sarratt went in the Fourth Round with the 115th overall selection to the Baltimore Ravens in April's NFL Draft.
Cignetti and Indiana have recruiting momentum rolling
With the addition of Sharpe, Indiana's 2027 recruiting class now features six players. His commitment also continues come recent recruiting momentum for Cignetti and the Hoosiers even with the recent decommitment from Torbert.
Over the weekend, Indiana secured commitments from 3-star defensive back Rico Jackson and 3-star offensive tackle Mason McDermott. That's now three commitments in three days for Indiana, and more could be on the way with a plethora of official visits still scheduled to take place over the next few weeks.
In addition, landing Sharpe is a big win in keeping the top Indiana prep players in the state. Now that Sharpe is on board, Hoosier fans are looking for Cignetti to seal the deal with 5-star WR Monshun Sales, who hails from Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis.
Sales is ranked as the No. 1 overall player in the state of Indiana and the No. 1 wide receiver in the country according to 247Sports. A lot still has to happen in his recruitment process, but IU football fans are confident in Cignetti's ability to keep the local product in The Hoosier State.
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