In the world of college football recruiting, the Indiana Hoosiers have never been considered a blue blood. That is starting to change under the leadership of Curt Cignetti, as blue chip prospects now have Bloomington on their radar after the elite turnaround Cignetti has orchestrated.
When looking back at Indiana's top recruiting wins from the past decade, the Hoosiers have found a way to find and develop under-the-radar talent and put that talent in a great position to succeed. Look no further than these five players.
WR Omar Cooper Jr. (4-star, No. 362 overall, No. 59 WR)
One of Indiana's biggest and most recent recruiting wins came in the form of 3-star WR Omar Cooper Jr. As a part of the 2022 recruiting cycle, Cooper stayed local and opted to play for the Hoosiers following a stand out career at Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis. The move paid off, as Cooper emerged into a bonafide star in Bloomington and was drafted in the first round with the 30th overall selection by the Jets in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Curt Cignetti's winning has made him one of college football's biggest villains
After redshirting in 2022, Cooper became one of Indiana's most reliable playmakers. He stuck around during the coaching change from Tom Allen to Cignetti, and played a vital role in Indiana's National Championship season. He led Indiana in catches (69) and receiving yards (937) while racking up 13 touchdowns. Cooper also delivered one of the most electric moments of the season with his toe-tap catch in the back of the end zone against Penn State. Hoosier fans will never forget that incredible play.
OT Carter Smith (3-star, No. 672 overall, No. 45 OT)
Coming to Indiana as an under-the-radar 2018 prospect from Olentangy Liberty High School in Ohio, Carter Smith has become one of the best offensive linemen in all of college football during his time with the Hoosiers. He has made 41 consecutive starts at left tackle dating back to 2023 season, and played a vital role in keeping Fernando Mendoza upright during his Heisman Trophy-winning season.
Owning a 6'5" 308-pound frame, Smith is an elite pass protector who has allowed just 4 sacks over 2,516 snaps in his career in Bloomington. He etched his name into the history books last season by becoming the first Hoosier to win the Big Ten’s Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year award. Smith is already garnering plenty of NFL Draft hype, and IU fans are excited to see what he can do in his final season in 2026.
Michael Penix Jr. (3-star, No. 585 overall, No. 43 QB)
One player who ignited an Indiana football resurgence in the 2020 season was none other than QB Michael Penix Jr. The Tampa native was IU's second-highest ranked commit in the 2018 recruiting cycle, and led the Hoosiers to an impressive 6-1 record in the shortened 2020 season. Penix's most iconic moment at Indiana was his goal-line dive in overtime against Penn State in Week 1 of that season. His heroics led the Hoosiers to a shocking upset over the 8th-ranked Nittany Lions.
Indiana's offensive potential is getting overlooked and that's a mistake
Penix battled injuries throughout his Indiana career, and ultimately transferred to Washington for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. He put up ridiculous numbers in Seattle and appeared in the National Championship game in 2024 against Michigan. Penix was then drafted with the 8th overall pick by the Falcons in the 2024 NFL Draft. Indiana football was on a serious down turn at the time, and seeing him leave stung. Yet, Penix's tenure in Bloomington is still considered a big recruiting win for IU.
WR Whop Philyor (3-star, No. 1,328 overall, No. 190 WR)
Whop Philyor was Hoosier fan favorite during his time at Indiana. The 5'11" 180-pound playmaker was known for his electric speed and big-play ability, and he ended his collegiate career with several Indiana program records. Most notably, Philyor is Indiana’s all-time leader in double-digit catch games (7), and ranks fourth in receptions (180), fourth in 100-yard games (7), and ninth in yardage (2,067).
Philyor's best season as a Hoosier came in 2019 when he hauled in 70 passes for 1,002 yards and 5 touchdowns. With that performance, he became just the seventh Hoosier to collect 1,000+ receiving yards in a single season. Philyor followed that up by leading the Big Ten with 54 catches in 2020.
WR Charlier Becker (3-star, No. 891 overall, No. 134 WR)
Charlie Becker is the latest overlooked recruit to shine in Bloomington. Becker was rated as a 3-star prospect out of Nashville in the 2024 cycle, and didn't even make his first collegiate start until Week 9 against UCLA last season. But after that, he was arguably the best wideout in the country. He collected 27 catches for 522 yards and 3 touchdowns over Indiana's last 7 games, and made several highlight-reel catches during Indiana's CFP run to a national title. Simply put, the Hoosiers don't win it all without Becker.
Heading into the new season, ESPN ranked Becker as the No. 4 receiver in the entire country. He possesses an elite ability to come down with contested catches, and is a big-play threat on every snap. First round buzz is also surrounding Becker, but first, he will try to pick up right where he left off last season when the new campaign rolls around.
Add us as a preferred source on Google