Indiana Football Positional Preview: A Few Veterans Will Pave the Way For Young Talent

Andre Brown will be one of the veterans that should help lead a young group Image: Sarah Miller Hoosier Huddle

Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

The 2018 season is nearly upon us! Training camp has begun and the Hoosiers are preparing for what they hope is a return to a bowl game. One feature of our preview coverage is going in-depth on each position group and today, we look at perhaps the deepest and most talented position group on the Indiana roster: the defensive backs.

“Defensive back” is a loose term that, for our purposes today, is going to apply to the safeties, Husky and cornerbacks. The preview is broken up into those individual positions and we’ll begin with the back of the defense, the safeties.

-Safeties-

Jonathan Crawford – SR – 6’2”/203 pounds–

Crawford enters his senior season with a chance to start a remarkable 50 games during his career in Bloomington. He is the current program leader in tackles, pass breakups, interceptions and fumble recoveries and he is now the unquestioned leader of the secondary. I think he is a favorite to land on an All-Big Ten team and a strong season will certainly see him land in the NFL. Crawford is a play-making safety that is capable of changing games and he’s a no doubt starter at one of the safety positions. There’s a term in soccer for no doubt starters: “first name on the team sheet”. That certainly applies to the Hoosiers lead safety and the only locked down starter in the defensive backfield.

Juwan Burgess – RS FR – 6’1”/193 pounds-

Juwan Burgess is one of the four players brought to IU from Plant High School in Tampa (Thomas Allen, Micah McFadden and Whop Philyor are the others). He redshirted the 2017 season and will be a major candidate for playing time next to Crawford. He entered IU as a very similar player to the senior and chose IU after decommitting from USC. Burgess is an exceptional athlete that had a way of making plays throughout his high school career. The main question is whether or not he can be physical enough to partner with Crawford or if it would leave the Hoosiers too small at the back and without a true strong safety.

Devon Matthews is one of several highly-regarded freshmen in IU's secondary. Image: Sammy Jacobs Hoosier Huddle

Devon Matthews – FR – 6’2”/200 pounds –

Devon “Monster” Matthews was considered a 4-star prospect by 247Sports and he was a major “get” for the IU coaching staff. Matthews was only 185 pounds when he committed but IU’s strength staff and hard work from Matthews has helped get up to 200 pounds already. He’s a classic safety that packs a real punch when he hits ball carriers. His physicality would seem to make for an ideal partnership with Crawford and it wouldn’t be at all surprising to see him win the job. He originally committed to South Florida before choosing to join the Hoosiers and play under Tom Allen. Add in his excellent nickname and he seems like a player Hoosier fans will want to keep an eye on.

Khalil Bryant – JR – 5’10”/203 pounds –

The junior from Jacksonville appeared in 11 games in 2017 and posted nine tackles. Stylistically, he’s a good match for the lengthy Crawford and his game experience is a checkmark in his favor. That’s something the other candidates for this spot just don’t have. I don’t see Bryant having as high a ceiling as Burgess or the incoming freshmen but there’s something to be said for a solid presence.

Jamar Johnson – FR – 6’1”/191 pounds –

Jamar Johnson chose IU over Purdue, Iowa State, Virginia Tech and several others. He’s a 6’1” corner from Sarasota, Florida but he’ll be playing safety for the Hoosiers. He joined the class late but he’s a solid three-star recruit that is athletic and was very well-regarded for his play at Riverview High School. The coaching staff loves his game and was excited to land him and I think it’s likely he sees the field during the 2018 season. I don’t think he’ll be starting but I do think he’ll contribute early.

Jordan Jusevitch – FR – 6’1”/200 pounds –

An instinctive player that was highly-productive at Lowell High School, Jusevitch could end up at Husky but it seems like his first position is going to be safety. The obvious comparison to make is Chase Dutra and that would be a terrific outcome if Jusevitch ended up being the player Dutra was but the expectation for this season is that Jusevitch can provide quality depth and perhaps chip-in on special teams.

Husky-

Marcelino Ball – RS SO – 6’0”/217 pounds-

The Hoosiers are absolutely thrilled to have Marcelino Ball back in the lineup as the starting Husky. He suffered an injury against Georgia Southern that sidelined him for the remainder of the 2017 season and his presence was sorely missed. He brings a physicality and athleticism to this hybrid position that is tough to replace and he has a chance for a special season.

Bryant Fitzgerald – RS FR – 6’0”/215 pounds –

A highly-regarded prospect from Avon High School, the hard-hitter was primed to play an important reserve role in 2017 as a true freshman. The injury to Marcelino Ball would have made Fitzgerald’s role even bigger. However, Fitzgerald was ruled ineligible prior to the season because of an error of the Indiana University eligibility staff. It was frustrating for fans and coaches and no doubt infuriating for the freshman. He is now eligible and more than ready to unleash on some opponents. He seems to be a perfect backup for Ball but it would not be a shock if the two saw the field at the same time, particularly against run-heavy opposition. Fitzgerald could make a really good partner for Crawford as a safety as well. He’s going to get plenty of playing time in 2018, it’s just a matter of where.

Cam Jones – FR – 6’3”/220 pounds –

We wrote about Jones in the linebacker preview but Jones has the athleticism and speed to play the Husky position if the coaching staff chooses to put them there (or if injuries make it necessary). He has worked at the position some in practice and his raw talent make him a candidate to get on the field one way or another.

Cornerback

The Indiana Hoosiers lost Rashard Fant but there are several talented bodies at this position and the battle for playing time is going to be fierce. We’ll begin with my picks for the two starting positions when IU takes the field in week one.

A’Shon Riggins – JR – 6’0”/187 pounds-

The junior from Ohio had a standout freshman season and was expected to carve out a large role as a sophomore. He started three games but battled nagging injuries that held him back. He is healthy now and I think he’ll hold one of the starting spots as a solid veteran.

Andre Brown – RS JR – 6’0”/200 pounds-

Brown started ten games in 2017. He’s a physical corner with a good frame. I don’t think he’s great in pass coverage but the coaches showed a lot of trust in him last season so it would be a mild surprise if he doesn’t see significant time in 2018. I think he gets nod opposite of Riggins at FIU but I do not expect him to hold onto the role all season.

Raheem Layne – SO – 6’1”/195 pounds –

The physically imposing corner from Florida started against Rutgers last season and appeared in every contest in 2017, earning IU’s Defensive Newcomer of the Year award. He stands out on the field because of his size and length and I think he looked pretty good when he saw the field last season as a reserve. I actually expect Layne to start more games than Brown as he takes over the starting role during the season.

Jaylin Williams – FR – 6’0”/180 pounds –

One of the highest-ranked members of the 2017 recruiting class, Williams is going to play a role during the 2018 season. He’s a very impressive athlete and a speed merchant that excels as a playmaker on both defense and special teams. Williams could be a returner (kick or punt) and I fully expect him to see a lot of snaps at cornerback. If he impresses (which I expect he will), he could start some games as a true freshman and I think he has the potential to be an All-Big Ten corner in the future.

Reese Taylor – FR – 5’11”/183 pounds –

Reese Taylor, 2017 Mr. Football in the state of Indiana, is one of the best players I have ever seen play in high school. Quite simply, he was a thrill to see and he quarterbacked his Ben Davis Giants to an unbeaten season and a state title. I was really hoping he’d be featured on offense and, thankfully, the Indiana coaching staff is working him both ways as he’s practicing as a slot receiver and a cornerback. Taylor and the staff his best chance at playing professionally will come as a corner. It’s a new position so I’m not sure how ready he’ll be to contribute a ton at this position in 2018 but I’m not doubting this young man and he’s going to help IU win football games one way or another.

Isaac James – RS JR – 5’11”/195 pounds –

Another converted quarterback, James has had a bit of an odyssey since coming to Bloomington from Carmel High School. He has been tried on offense as a wide receiver, played as a linebacker and then worked some at Husky and he’s now a cornerback. His physical profile fits the position and he clearly wants to do whatever he can to help the team win but he’s going to be behind about a handful of natural corners with more experience at the position.

Noah Pierre – FR – 5’11”/172 pounds –

At 5’11” and just 172 pounds, Pierre seems like he’d be more suited for a slot receiver role. That is, until you watch him play. His highlight film from high school (he’s another Florida product) showcased a number of really physical hits and an ability to find the ball. He’s a speedy player that was first team All-Dade County as a senior. That is no easy feat as Dade County churns out high-major prospects at a very high-rate. Another player that seems likely to play four games and then redshirt but if he impresses in those four games, you just never know. In addition, the recent departures of LaDamion Hunt and Elijah Rodgers presents Pierre with an opportunity to make an impact.

Owen Strieter, Jordan Peterson and Samuel Slusher are all young walk-ons that will play an important role on the Hoosier scout team. You need a whole bunch of quality corners, particularly when the coaching staff continues to attempt to get three quarterbacks a lot of repetitions so these guys, while they are not likely to see much game action, play an important role.