Transfer Portal: Where Might Indiana Add after 2024?

Which positions need the most attention as Indiana enters December 2024?

The season isn’t complete quite yet, but as Curt Cignetti said in his press conference before the Purdue game, they knew December was coming, meaning it’s time to look at roster construction for 2025. Of course, the staff has been considering this for months now, and even Bite-Sized Bison took an early peak at the 2025 roster before the 2024 season. The reality is that, until this staff gets its feet underneath it with the development of its young talent, the Hoosiers will be active in the portal, piecing together teams for 2025 and potentially 2026.

Here are the positions I anticipated some movement within before this season began:

• Anticipated Departures after 2024: TE, DT, LB, SAF

• Anticipated Positions of Interest after 2024: WR, IOL, DE, SAF, P (maybe QB, RB, LB, or CB)

Much of that still stands today. A few notes:

• The LBs already entered the portal (Nahji Logan and Joshua Rudolph).

• The safeties already entered the portal (DJ Warnell and Tyrik McDaniel).

• Mario Landino’s burnt redshirt suggests some possible movement at DT.

• CB was solid this season and may not be deemed by the staff as a position of interest.

• QB has become a solid position of interest this offseason.

• TE might be a position of interest now, given how significant Zach Horton was to this offensive scheme.

Let’s dive in.

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Where does Indiana need to add for 2025?

There are several considerations that can’t be known until Indiana’s season is complete:

1. Who leaves (for the NFL or other reasons) with eligibility remaining? Current Hoosiers with eligibility remaining are WR Elijah Sarratt, RT Trey Wedig, DE Mikail Kamara, and DT CJ West. Also, RG Nick Kidwell went through Senior Day festivities, but I’d anticipate him returning.

2. Who transfers out of the program to play elsewhere? This staff threw together the best roster it could with what was given to it, which meant keeping some pieces for depth that it likely did not see a future for. TE and DE/DT are likely places that could see departures. Offensive line could see some depth transfer out as well.

3. Which coaches are still on the staff? Of course, it would be ideal if all of the coaches stayed, and with the anticipated increase in the assistant salary pool (offering competitive salaries at Indiana), the Hoosiers will keep many assistants they prioritize. But they won’t keep them all (whether by choice or by competition), and that affects transfers.

With those considerations in mind, here is a list of positions, ranked by importance, that Indiana will likely be looking for in the portal.

1. Quarterback

2. Wide Receiver (particularly Slot)

3. Defensive End

4. Interior Offensive Line

5. Punter

6. Safety

7. Running Back

8. Tight End

These are not my guesses as to the only positions they will add to, just the ones that appear to need the highest priority as they stand in early-December. These things are ever-changing as well, so this is just the beginning of the conversation.

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Quarterback