Darian DeVries has made some solid moves on the recruiting trail, but he is still looking for a signature commit that puts the Indiana Hoosiers back among the recruiting big boys. DeVries has yet to land a 5-star recruit during his time in Bloomington, and he is looking to change that as soon as possible.
One highly-touted player on DeVries' radar is Darius Wabbington, a 6' 10" center from Phoenix, AZ. DeVries and his staff have made steady progress in Wabbington's recruitment so far. Back in July, Wabbington included Indiana in his list of contenders, along with Arizona, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Texas.
A short time later, the coveted 5-star prospect scheduled an Official Visit to Bloomington. That visit took place this past weekend, and Wabbington was in attendance for Indiana's season-opener 52-16 victory over North Texas on the gridiron. Shortly after the visit wrapped up, Wabbington axed a contender from his list of potential landing spots, which puts Indiana one step closer in his closely-followed recruiting race.
5-star 2027 center Darius Wabbington cuts Louisville from his list of contenders
On Monday, Jacob Polacheck of 247Sports reported that Wabbington is no longer considering Louisville in his recruitment. Wabbington was slated to take an Official Visit to Louisville this coming weekend starting on September 11, but now that visit will not take place.
Louisville has gained some serious recruiting momentum under Pat Kelsey, and getting the Cardinals out of the picture gives DeVries and company one less threat to worry about. It now appears to be a five-team race for Wabbington's services. His recruitment is only going to heat up from here, and the Hoosiers still have a lot of work to do.
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Looking ahead, Wabbington has Official Visits on the docket for Arizona on September 25, North Carolina on October 30, and Texas on November 6. Kentucky is also still in the mix, but an Official Visit has yet to be scheduled at this time. Wabbington is currently ranked as the No. 12 overall player and No. 2 center in the 2027 recruiting class according to 247Sports.
The timing of Wabbington cutting Louisville is interesting, as it comes directly after his visit to Bloomington. Thus, one would think that the Hoosiers stood out and made a lasting impact over the weekend. Wabbington took in the sights at Memorial Stadium, playing punt, pass, and kick with his sister on the field.
5 ⭐️ Center Darius Wabbington playing Punt pass kick with his sister in memorial stadium @Dariuswabb #indiana #recruit #hoosiers pic.twitter.com/rniEw1if3c
— Hoosier_Prodz (@Hoosier_Prodz) September 6, 2026
It's clear that DeVries is making the frontcourt a top priority moving forward. Last season, Indiana lacked the necessary size and athleticism at the 4 and 5 positions that is needed to compete in the Big Ten. DeVries doesn't want that to happen again.
He brought in Alabama PF Aiden Sherrell and SMU center Samet Yigitoglu via the portal, and if all goes according to plan, that frontcourt combination could be among the best in the Big Ten this season. Looking ahead, DeVries is hoping a guy like Wabbington can be an instant impact player in the Hoosier frontcourt.
Wabbington has plenty of size and length, and can handle the ball with guard-like skills. While also being effective down low, he can score off the dribble and has the ability to stretch the floor with reliable shot-making from the outside. That is the kind of versatile skill set that DeVries loves to feature on his rosters. Hopefully DeVries and company can continue making a strong case to Wabbington throughout the fall.
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