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The Indiana Hoosiers are coming off a national championship and 27 wins over a two-year span. The excitement around the program can not be higher, so it is no surprise they wrapped up their 2027 high school recruiting class with a bang.
2027 Indiana Recruiting Class Breakdown
Recruiting Service Team Rankings
Rivals.com- 28th Nationally (Average Rating: 88.66)
247Sports- 30th Nationally (Average Rating: 88.24)
Class Size: 17 Players (8 Offense 9 Defense)
Is the Low Ranking Something to Worry About for Indiana?
Neither recruiting service ranking jumps off the page for a team that just won it all and returns a team that is one of the favorites to make another run at the title. The Hoosiers' 2027 class does not crack the top 25 and that may be a concern for some, but it is not as big a deal as it used to be.
College football recruiting has changed in the Transfer Portal Era, and looking at high school recruiting rankings in a vacuum does not tell the whole story of roster building. On paper, the Hoosiers' class is good, but not great. However, when you dig deeper, the class accomplished just what it needed to.
People get wrapped up in ratings and rankings, because that is always the way it has been, but it is nothing to get worked up about anymore.
Did the '27 Class Accomplish What it Needed to?
While IU missed out on some of their top targets (psst. everyone does), Curt Cignetti and his staff accomplished what they needed to in order to keep building the future of the program.
Indiana brought in a high three-star quarterback in Jameson Purcell and surrounded him with weapons. Indiana kept the top two wide receivers in the state at home with five-star Monshun Sales and four-star Branden Sharpe. IU brought in Jordan Carrassquillo as a thrid receiver. Running back commit Dajon Talley-Rhodes is a high-ceiling three-star prospect.
Where Indiana may have missed is along the offensive line as Dominic Black went to Kentucky. However, Cignetti and offensive line coach Bob Bostad brought in four-star Mason McDermott and may have uncovered a hidden gem in Caleb Pugh.
On defense, the Hoosiers hit it big along the defensive line with standouts Reinaldo Perez and Myles Smith. They beat Georgia for linebacker Jaylathan Mayfield and flipped Cain Brackney from UCLA. IU also solidified the secondary with safety Brady Scott and three cornerbacks (Chris Bradley, Ramir Harris-Dupree and Rico Jackson).
IU accomplished what they needed to do and has a clear plan to fill needs through the portal later this winter.
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'27 Class Superlatives
Most Likely to Have an Impact as a Freshman: WR Monshun Sales
Sleeper: OL Caleb Pugh
Will Need Some Time to Develop: OL Jeremiah Jones
Best Offensive Player: WR Monshun Sales
Best Defensive Player: DL Myles Smith or LB Jaylathan Mayfield
'27 Closing Thoughts
The 2027 class was always going to be small. While the offensive line haul may be a little underwhelming for a position of need, there are some future building blocks in McDermott and Pugh.
The Hoosiers landed the program's first five-star prospect in Monshun Sales, who should be a plug-and-play prospect. His commitment means just as much off the field as it does on. Sales' choosing IU gives Cignetti and IU even more staying power at the top of the Big Ten.
The defensive side of this class is not talked about enough. Michigan really wanted to land Myles Smith and Georgia was in on Mayfield. Cornerback Chris Bradley is referred to as "Baby Ponds" by the staff, while Harris-Dupree also shows the traits of a great corner.
There is work to be done in the portal, especially along the offensive line, but the 2027 class should be another building block in the foundation Curt Cignetti builds every year.
Today's best reads
- 5-Star Monshun Sales Commits to Indiana, Setting a New Standard for the Hoosiers
- Social Media Erupts as Indiana Lands 5-Star Recruit Monshun Sales
- How Much Will Indiana and the Big Ten Be Discussed at SEC Media Days?
- Will Stein Just Had His Curt Cignetti Moment. Here's Why Indiana Fans Should Take Notice.
- Indiana Football 2026 Game-by-Game Predictions: Projecting Every Hoosiers Result
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/indiana as Indiana Football Wraps Up Its 2027 Recruiting Class with a Bang.
