Curt Cignetti just landed a highly-touted 4-star recruit Indiana fans will love

The month of May was a successful time for Curt Cignetti on the recruiting trail, and it's clear that the momentum has carried over into June.

After securing six commitments last month, Cignetti is off to a strong start in June by landing a commitment from a highly-touted defensive prospect.

Indiana lands commitment from 4-star EDGE Reinaldo Perez

On Wednesday afternoon, Indiana received a commitment from 4-star EDGE Reinaldo Perez. In addition to becoming Indiana's 10th commit in the 2027 class, the addition of Perez also gives Indiana a big recruiting win over the Ohio State Buckeyes.

The 6'6" 260-pound pass-rusher hails from Columbus Academy in Columbus, OH, and Cignetti was able to pry him away from Ryan Day's backyard. Perez chose the Hoosiers over other offers from Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, and Virginia Tech.

Perez put together a strong sophomore season that saw him collect 73 tackles, 11 sacks, and 15 tackles for loss. He heads to Bloomington ranked as the No. 32 defensive lineman in the country for the 2027 recruiting class according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. Thus, he becomes the second-highest ranked prospect in IU's 2027 class, coming in just behind 4-star OT Mason McDermott.

In an interview with Rivals' Greg Smith, Perez said that Indiana checked all the boxes of what he was looking for during his decision-making process. "It felt so right, and they checked off all the boxes for my family and I,” said Perez. “I’m looking forward the most to getting on campus, be coached by the best coaches, and be a part of the best team.”

Curt Cignetti is building a strong pass rush in Indiana's 2027 recruiting class

Perez is the second EDGE rusher to join Indiana's 2027 recruiting class. He follows 4-star prospect Myles Smith, who committed to the Cream and Crimson on May 28. Together, Perez and Smith have great potential to become vaunted pass rushers in Bloomington.

Cignetti put together an elite pass rush this past season, which played a huge role in Indiana's National Championship-winning season. Defensive coordinator Bryant Haines led a Hoosier defense that finished second in all of college football with 46.0 sacks last season. Indiana averaged just under 3.0 sacks per game, and put an incredible amount of pressure on opposing quarterbacks all season long.

ESPN's Top-100 newcomer rankings show Curt Cignetti continues to win the portal era

Four of Indiana's top five sack leaders from this past season are back in Bloomington. Not many teams can boast that kind of returning production up front. LB Rolijah Hardy, LB Isaiah Jones, DL Tyrique Tucker, and DL Mario Landino are all back, which gives the Hoosier pass rush plenty of potential this fall.

Looking ahead, Haines and Cignetti seem to be putting together an effective collection of pass rushers in IU's 2027 class. Perez and Smith are the start, but don't be surprised if more pass rushers join the mix in the coming weeks.

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