The Indiana Hoosiers have entered the bye week at 11-0 (8-0) and have their eyes set on winning the Old Oaken Bucket while clinching a spot in the Big Ten Championship Football Game. While the Hoosiers have Big Ten and national title aspirations, the bye week is a great time to take a look ahead to what IU may need out of the transfer portal for 2026.
The transfer portal does not officially open until January 2nd and will be open for 14 days until January 14th. This is right in the middle of the College Football Playoff, so teams will have to put their lists together quickly.
Disclaimer
For argument’s sake I am going to assume all of Indiana’s players who may go pro will go pro. That is not necessarily the case, but it makes this exercise a little cleaner.
IU Scholarship Players out of Eligibility
Offense
- OL Kahlil Benson
- OL Pat Coogan
- OL Zen Michalski
- QB Grant Wilson
- RB Kaelon Black
- RB Roman Hemby
- TE James Bomba
- TE Riley Nowakowski
- TE Holden Staes
- WR Jonathan Brady
- WR Elijah Sarratt
- WR EJ Williams
Defense
- DE Stephen Daley
- DE Kellan Wyatt
- DT Dominique Raticliff
- DT Hosea Wheeler
- STUD Makail Kamara
- LB Aiden Fisher
- Rover Devin Boykin
- Safety Bryson Bonds
- Safety Louis Moore
Special Teams
- KOS Brendan Franke
- LS Mark Langston
- P Mitch McCarthy
IU Players Who Could Leave for the NFL Draft
Offense
OL Carter Smith– Smith is projected as a Day Two draft pick and the guaranteed money may be too much to turn down. Per Pro Football Focus he is the third best tackle in the NCAA in 2025. He will go through the evaluation process and see what the NFL has to say, but for this exercise we put him in the draft
QB Fernando Mendoza- People have asked if he is a lock to leave IU. Yes, yes he is. He is ninth of the PFF Big Board.
WR Omar Cooper Jr.– Cooper is another player who could come back, but may cash in on his draft stock this year. He’s had a big year for the Hoosiers, and like Smith, is projected as a Day Two pick right now. Could that change? Yes, but let’s act as if he is not in Bloomington next season.
Defense
CB D’Angelo Ponds- Ponds is 93rd on PFF’s Big Board and we have listed him in the not coming back category for a while. Teams test him once or twice and then stay away.
Safety Amare Ferrell- This is one I cannot get a read on. PFF does not have him on their Big Board, but he will go through the evaluation process with the NFL and see where he could land. Out of all five of these players, Ferrell is the most likely to be back based on reading the tea leaves.
IU Exiting Players Overview
Offense
The Hoosiers are set to lose a significant portion of their offensive line to graduation. There will be a need to fill in there, even with Adedamola Ajani has filled in well for Drew Evans. IU is losing their starting right tackle and center while Michalski was the first man off the bench. If Carter Smith leaves for the NFL, that just increases the need. While IU does have some young linemen they are high on, this is a position where you need some more veterans and depth. The 2026 portal class may be the last part of the bridge that closes the gap to where IU can start playing their former high school signees.
The biggest question surrounding the portal has been what will IU do when Fernando Mendoza leaves. Younger brother Alberto seems to be the favorite to enter the spring as QB1, but IU also loses Grant Wilson. With the uncertainty surrounding Tyler Cherry’s recovering from injury, IU will still need a portal quarterback. I believe IU is better off targeting a player who has experience, but is willing to be the back up and compete for the job. Blowing the NIL budget, and IU has a large one, on a “star” is misplaced. That money could be spent to fill many other needs.
The future of the running back room looks bright with Khobie Martin’s emergence and the return of Lee Beebe will give IU a nice 1-2 punch, but the Hoosiers will probably go out and get one more veteran back. Coach Cignetti and his staff have favored the three man rotation in the backfield.
The Hoosiers lose three tight ends and two of them are major pieces to the rotation. They will have two redshirt freshmen in Andrew Barker and Blake Thiry and Parker Elmore joining the room as a true freshman. This is a spot where IU probably takes two tight ends to get a veteran presence in the room.
The wide receiver room could potentially lose all three starters and Jonathan Brady who played in the slot. The good news for the Hoosiers is that Tyler Morris, who transferred from Michigan and was hurt in the spring, should be back in 2026. Charlie Becker’s emergence has eased some of the need here, but IU will need to go get some outside receivers to replace Williams and add depth to the room while youngsters Lebron Bond and Davion Chandler develop.
IU Transfer Portal Needs by Position
Offensive Line- 3 (2 tackles, 1 swing man)
Quarterback- 1
Running Back- 1
Tight End- 2
Wide Receiver- 3
Total: 10
Defense
The Hoosiers actually have a nice core of players returning for 2026, especially if Ferrell returns. Even so there are areas that could use reinforcements.
The biggest loss on defense will be Aiden Fisher, he’s the heart and soul of that side of the ball for IU. With Rolijah Hardy and Isaiah Jones returning along with Kaiden Turner who has played well in his chances, there are three linebackers who can play. Walk-on Jeff Utzinger has been a trusted piece as well. However, depth was an issue this year. With PJ Nelson being the only scholarship youngster the Hoosiers need to bridge the gap to Jacob Savage and Henry Ohlinger with a veteran transfer.
On the defensive line Tyrique Tucker returns, but IU needs to replace two big rotation pieces in Hosea Wheeler and Dominique Ratcliff. While there are younger players ready to step up, depth is a big need as it is tough to rely on redshirt freshmen up front. Again, the word bridge comes up.
On the edges, IU loses three very productive players in Daley, Kamara and Wyatt. This is where IU’s NIL money should be focused on as a great pass rusher is worth the price or IU can do what they did last cycle and get two under the radar players who can be All-Big Ten performers.
The secondary could be ready for a youth movement led by Byron Baldwin. There will be holes to fill in the portal, but a talented group of younger players could be ready for action. IU will return Jamari Sharpe, Ryland Gandy and Amariyun Knighten as all three have eligibility left. While none of them are Ponds, it’s a solid group. IU is high on Jayden Bell as well. Right now, the need is minimal here, but we’ll keep an eye out on outgoing transfers as well.
Safety is where IU will need some portal help as they will lose Louis Moore, Bryson Bonds and potentially Amare Ferrell. I’ll even throw Devin Boykin as a rover into this group as well. All three of those players have been vital to IU’s success. Baldwin was in line to be in the two-deep before an injury, IU will need to build depth through the portal there as well. Of the other underclassmen at the safety and rover positions the question is which of Seaonta Stewart, Jah Jah Boyd and Garrett Reese can be contributors next season.
IU Transfer Portal Needs by Position
DT- 2
Edge: 2
Linebacker: 1
Cornerback: 1
Safety/Rover: 2
Total: 8
Special Teams
The Hoosiers will look to the portal on special teams as well. With punter Mitch McCarthy exhausting eligibility and just Quinn Warren returning on the roster, IU will hit the portal again for a punter.
Sam Lindsey should be able to jump in for the departing Mark Langston at long snapper and allow IU to develop a high school player instead of spending in the portal at that position.
IU will need to replace kickoff specialist Brendan Franke as well. Quinn Warren has been solid, but not spectacular kicking off. Franke’s ability to reach the end zone has been an underrated part of this team.
IU Transfer Portal Needs by Position
KOS- 1
Punter 1
Total: 2