Heading into the 2026 season, Indiana's WR room has plenty of potential. Charlie Becker returns after emerging as a superstar in the second half of last season, and Michigan State transfer Nick Marsh brings a dynamic skill set with legitimate first round hype. Together, Becker and Marsh has a chance to be among the most lethal receiving duos in all of college football.
While Becker and Marsh are getting much of the attention during the preseason, one Hoosier wideout who is flying under the radar is Shazz Preston. The former Alabama and Tulane WR is coming off a solid junior campaign for the Green Wave, and transferred to Indiana in the offseason. Playing in a well-rounded offense, Preston could be on breakout watch.
Transfer WR Shazz Preston eyeing big season in Bloomington
Preston enjoyed the best season of his collegiate career last year in New Orleans with the Green Wave. In total, the Louisiana native led Tulane in catches (43), receiving yards (723), and receiving touchdowns (4). He also paced the Green Wave with 16.8 yards per catch average and a long of 69 yards.
Preston was a model of consistency, as he collected at least one catch in all 14 games and had 2+ catches in each of his last 12 games. He also shined under the bright lights, posting his first-career 100-yard game in the College Football Playoff against Ole Miss by racking up 125 yards on 5 catches.
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Owning a 6'0" 205-pound frame, Preston could fit in quite nicely into the Indiana passing attack. He has great football instincts and spatial awareness, which could come in handy when finding the soft spots against zone coverage. He is also shifty with the ball in his hands and can rack up yards after the catch.
Preston may not be as athletic as Omar Cooper Jr, but he brings a similar skill set with tons of potential. Don't be surprised if he becomes a big part of the IU offense this season.
Indiana's WR room has elite potential in 2026
As previously mentioned, the Indiana passing attack is poised for a strong campaign. Leading the way is TCU transfer QB Josh Hoover, who has 31 starts, nearly 10,000 yards, and 79 total touchdowns under his belt in his collegiate career. He is also well-versed with the RPO-heavy style that offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan runs, and hopefully, he is able to make a seamless transition into the IU offense.
Becker and Marsh were ranked as the No. 4 and No. 5 WRs in the country by ESPN earlier this offseason, signaling just how much hype the WR tandem is already garnering. With complementary skill sets, Becker and Marsh could be in line for monster seasons. Add in some serious potential for Preston as well, and Hoover has plenty of great receiving weapons to work with.
The Hoosiers are set to begin their title-defending season on Saturday, September 5 with a home matchup against North Texas.
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