After losing both Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Sarratt to the NFL Draft, the Indiana Hoosiers have another lethal receiving combo in the making for next season.
Charlie Becker emerged into an elite weapon late last season, and he is back and ready to put forth a full season of dominance. Curt Cignetti went out and got former Michigan State WR Nick Marsh in the portal, and his presence has the potential to yield tremendous results playing alongside Becker.
The hype surrounding Indiana's 1-2 punch of wideouts continues to build with ESPN's rankings of the Top-10 wide receivers in the country heading into the 2026 season. To the delight of Hoosier football fans, both Becker and Marsh are ranked in the Top-5.
Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh receive Top-5 praise in ESPN wide receiver rankings
In search of who is considered to be among the top wide receivers out there, ESPN's Eli Lederman and Max Olson surveyed 20+ college football front office staff members including general managers, player personnel directors, and scouting directors. The general consensus among the college football world is that both Becker and Marsh are among the best wideouts in the sport.
Becker comes in at No. 4 on the list and Marsh is right behind him in the No. 5 spot. Indiana is the only team to have two players featured in the Top-5, and one of two teams to have two players in the Top-10. Texas also has two receivers featured with Cam Coleman at No. 3 and Ryan Wingo at No. 9. The list is unsurprisingly led by Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith, with Miami's Malachi Toney coming in at No. 2.
Becker and Marsh give Indiana's offense elite potential in 2026-27
Becker’s emergence into a bonafide stud came at a rapid pace in the second half of last season He didn't make his fist start until Indiana's eighth game of the season. But after that, Becker quickly became one of the top receivers in the nation. The Nashville native collected 27 catches for 522 yards and 3 touchdowns over Indiana's last 7 games, and came up with clutch catch after clutch catch during Indiana's CFP run to a national title.
Owning a 6'4" 207-pound frame, Becker excels at bringing down contested catches in critical moments. According to ESPN Research, Becker picked up first downs or touchdowns on 85.3% of his catches last season. That was good for the best mark among all Power 4 wide receivers. He is poised for another elite campaign this fall.
The addition of Marsh gives the Indiana passing attack elite potential. Marsh comes to Indiana after two seasons in East Lansing with Michigan State, and he is coming off a 2025-26 season in which he led the Spartans in catches (59), receiving yards (662), and receiving touchdowns (6). At the time of his commitment to the Hoosiers earlier this offseason, the 6'3" 203-pound wideout was ranked as the No. 17 overall player and No. 2 wide receiver in the portal by On3.
What makes Marsh extremely dangerous is his ability to rack up the yards after the catch. Per ESPN Research, Marsh forced 36 missed tackles on receptions last season, which was second in the country trailing only Miami's Malachi Toney 39. Thus, the Becker/Marsh combination gives Hoosier fans a lot to be excited about.
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