8 Hoosiers Named Preseason All-Americans by Phil Steele

After winning the 2025 national championship, the Indiana Hoosiers are no longer sneaking up on people in the pre-season. Industry expert Phil Steele named eight Hoosiers to his pre-season All-American teams

Indiana’s First Team Selections

OL Carter Smith

Smith won Big Ten offensive lineman of the year in 2025 and decided to forego the NFL because of a shoulder injury, which held him out all of spring. The 43-game veteran should be fully healthy by fall camp and serve as the anchor of the offensive line.

Linebacker Isaiah Jones

Jones grew into one of the Hoosiers’ best defensive and special teams players in 2025. He was so good on defense that he made defensive coordinator Bryant Haines adjust his scheme to get him on the field more. Last season Jones made 78 tackles, including 15.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks. He blocked a punt, recovered a punt block for a touchdown. He also forced a fumble, recovered a fumble and intercepted one pass.

He will serve as Indiana’s green dot player in the fall, taking over for Aiden FIsher who was a late-round NFL Draft pick.

Indiana’s Second Team Selections

Wide Receiver Nick Marsh

Marsh comes to Indiana from Michigan State via the transfer portal. Despite the Spartans struggling during Marsh’s first two seasons in East Lansing, he was still one of the top wideouts in the country. He has smooth speed and a huge catch radius.

In his two seasons with the Spartans, Marsh made 100 catches for 1,311 yards and nine touchdowns. Two of his more impressive games came against the Hoosiers in 2024 and 2025.

Linebacker Rolijah Hardy

Hardy and Jones may be the best linebacking duo in the Big Ten, if not the country. Hardy filled in perfectly in the role vacated by Jailin Williams. In his first full year of starting, Hardy made 102 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and registered eight sacks.

DL Tyrique Tucker

Tucker is the wrecking ball of the IU defense. He’s built like a fire hydrant and plays with a selflessness that allows his teammates to make the plays behind him. Last season he made 64 tackles and 16.5 tackles for loss, including six sacks.

Indiana’s Third Team Selections

Wide Receiver Charlie Becker

Becker may be underrated on this list, but it’s understandable with the smaller body of work. Becker exploded onto the scene in the second half of the season when he filled in for various injured starters at wide receiver. He eventually became too good to keep off the field.

Like Marsh, his catch radius is insane, and his track speed translates to the football field. Becker made 34 catches last year for 679 yards with four touchdowns. He also showed the knack for making the biggest plays in the biggest games.

Safety Amare Ferrell

Many are questioning the back end of the defense for the Hoosiers, but forget the fact that Ferrell is returning. The fourth-year senior chose to return to Indiana instead of entering the NFL Draft to finish his journey with the Hoosiers. He is a ball hawk who is also physical in the run game. He has eight career interceptions and 107 career tackles.

Indiana’s Fourth Team Selection

Cornerback Jamari Sharpe

Sharpe was one of the defensive heros in the national championship game, but his play was really solid all season. He was a little overshadowed by D’Angelo Ponds, but Sharpes’ play was a major reason why Indiana’s defense was excellent. He has 16 career passes defensed and two interceptions. He also has four career forced fumbles. Sharpe’s improvement over the years speaks to the ability of this staff to develop raw talent.