Indiana wide receiver enters transfer portal after just appearing in four games in 2025

Indiana senior wide receiver Makai Jackson, a transfer from Appalachian State has entered the transfer portal after five game this season in Bloomington. Jackson appeared in four games this season for the Hoosiers and had three catches for 15 yards. The 6-foot, 197-pounder will preserve his redshirt to gain an additional year of eligibility in 2026.

Starting receivers Elijah Sarratt, Omar Cooper Jr. and E.J. Williams have played the majority of snaps at receiver this season, while sophomore Charlie Becker and freshman LeBron Bond have also played in backup receiver roles.

Makai Jackson spent his freshman season at Saint Francis University, then transferred to Appalachian State where he played the last two seasons.

In 2024, he started 11 games for the Mountaineers. Jackson caught 46 passes for 745 yards, five touchdowns and was also named third-team All-Sun Belt. In 2023 he had 418 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 2023. He closed out the season with back-to-back 100-yard performances against James Madison and Georgia Southern.

This season was highly disappointing for Jackson, he had very high expectations and was even selected for the 2025 Paul Hornung Award Preseason Watch List.

By playing in four or less games, he can play a fifth-season elsewhere, or perhaps even return to Indiana. He didn’t play in the Hoosiers 20-15 victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.

Indiana’s pass catchers have caught 99 passes for 1,352 yards passing and 19 touchdowns this season from Fernando Mendoza as starter and his brother Alberto Mendoza as back up quarterback.

No. 8 Indiana 5-0 enters a bye week before their massive matchup on Oct. 11 with (5-0) No. 2 Oregon.

Indiana has been ranked nationally in both polls for a team-record 18 straight weeks going back to last season when they went 11-2 and made it to the College Football Playoff.