Kalen DeBoer, Alabama use emotional pitch to 5-star Indiana target Monshun Sales

Curt Cignetti and the Indiana Hoosiers have put together a solid month of May on the recruiting trail.

Indiana has secured five commitments this month, which has brought IU's 2027 recruiting class up to eight players. Cignetti's most recent commitment from 4-star EDGE Myles Smith was a big win for the Hoosiers, and Cignetti and company are looking to keep the momentum rolling into the beginning of June.

Indiana will be front and center of the college football world when the season starts

With the calendar set to flip to a new month, Indiana is locked in a heated recruiting battle with several other programs to land WR Monshun Sales. He is one of the most coveted recruits in the 2027 class, and his list of finalists include Indiana, Ohio State, Texas, Miami (FL), and Alabama. But at this point in time it seems to be a two-team race between the Hoosiers and Crimson Tide. Indiana is the current favorite, but Kalen DeBoer and the Crimson Tide can't be counted out.

Sales currently plays high school football in Indiana, but he has strong family ties to the state of Alabama. His family is originally from the Yellowhammer State, and Sales grew up cheering for the Crimson Tide. He even had the nickname of "Bama" as a kid. Currently taking an official visit to Tuscaloosa this weekend, it's clear that DeBoer and company aren't letting Sales forget about his Alabama roots.

Alabama reminding Monshun Sales of his roots on official visit

On Friday afternoon, Sales posted a picture from his visit to Alabama to his Instagram story. Alabama's recruiting message is clear...

DeBoer and the Crimson Tide are reinforcing an emotional appeal that is already in place during Sales' recruitment. It's a tactic that isn't surprising, and it will be interesting to see how it plays out.

Indiana's championship pedigree stands out in Sales' recruitment process

Alabama is looking to pull at Sales' heartstrings with an emotional appeal, while Indiana's championship pedigree under Cignetti speaks for itself. The Hoosiers are 27-2 with Cignetti and the helm, and are coming off a perfect 16-0 season that culminated in a historic National Championship.

The Hoosiers have taken the college football world by storm over the past two seasons, while Alabama is still trying to figure out its identity in the post-Nick Saban era. The Crimson Tide missed the College Football Playoff in 2024 and barely snuck in this past season. It's clear that the Alabama program does not have the same lore it had under Saban, and Cignetti and Indiana are looking to take advantage when it comes to Sales' recruitment.

Hailing from Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis, Sales is ranked as the top player in the state of Indiana as well as the No. 1 wide receiver in the country according to 247Sports. Cignetti has shown that he doesn't need a roster full of blue chip recruits to win a national title, but imagine what he could do with a 5-star talent like Sales.

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