While Indiana prepares for the College Football Playoff, it also must plan for the future.
The transfer portal officially opens Monday, though players have been announcing their intentions to enter it for weeks. Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said Wednesday that his staff has been busy evaluating transfers, a key part of roster building now.
In their first season, Cignetti and defensive coordinator Bryant Haines built a defense that ranks seventh nationally in points allowed per game (14.7), second in total yards (244.8), 11th in passing yards (174.0) and first in run defense (70.8).
On Friday, Hoosiers On SI broke down Indiana’s potential offensive needs in the transfer portal. Now we’ll shift to the defensive side of the ball, with a position breakdown of which players could leave, who could return, and how that affects Indiana’s approach to the transfer portal.
Keep in mind, Indiana could lose players to the transfer portal and have greater needs at certain positions than expected. That’s just the nature of college football now, and it happens at every program.
Defensive ends
How Indiana handles this position at the top relies on Mikail Kamara’s decision. The first-team All-Big Ten end has collegiate eligibility remaining, but he walked on senior day and may opt for the NFL Draft after finishing second in the Big Ten with 10 sacks and 15 tackles for loss. If he leaves, adding a transfer defensive end should be near the top of Indiana’s priorities.
Aside from Kamara, fellow starter Lanell Carr Jr. and backup Jacob Mangum-Farrar will have exhausted their eligibility at season’s end. Indiana could return a group of young pass rushers like Venson Sneed, Ta’Derius Collins, Daniel Ndukwe, and two of its highest-ranked 2025 recruits include Tyrone Burrus Jr. and Triston Abram. Indiana could need to add at least three transfers at this position.
Defensive tackles
Indiana is in a similar spot here, with starters James Carpenter and CJ West gone after the season. They both earned All-Big Ten honorable mentions and helped Indiana achieve the nation’s top run defense at 70.8 yards per game.
Depth is a bit more proven here, with Marcus Burris, Tyrique Tucker and Mario Landino all capable of returning after logging at least 129 snaps this season. Indiana may feel good about giving them larger roles in 2025, but defensive coordinator Bryant Haines clearly preferred to rotate personnel frequently at this position. Expect Indiana to make a couple additions here.
Linebackers
Jailin Walker is the big loss here. He was an All-Big Ten honorable mention in 2024, but an argument could be made that he was as meaningful as any Hoosier defender this year, finishing second in tackles and third in tackles for loss. But as long as no one else leaves, Indiana should feel good about its group of linebackers.
First-team All-Big Ten linebacker Aiden Fisher, Indiana’s leading tackler, has another year of eligibility. Indiana developed some depth throughout the season. Isaiah Jones mostly played in the Hoosiers’ three-linebacker defensive formation, and he finished as the team’s eight-highest graded defender with at least 100 snaps, per Pro Football Focus.
Freshman Rolijah Hardy earned more snaps as the season progressed, and Cignetti spoke highly of him a few times. Playing 139 snaps, he had the team’s highest grade for run defense at 91.4, per PFF. Indiana’s 2025 class includes two linebackers, but it may still opt to add one in the portal, depending on how it feels about the depth behind Fisher, Jones and Hardy.
Cornerbacks
There’s always the caveat that a player could enter the transfer portal, but Indiana is potentially in great shape at cornerback. Starters D’Angelo Ponds and Jamier Johnson, plus experienced reserves Jamari Sharpe and JoJo Johnson, can all return. Dontrae Henderson and Josh Philostin would be in their second year at Indiana, which also added two players in its 2025 recruiting class.
Ponds made the first-team All-Big Ten this year, and other successful Power Four programs could go after him like they did when he left James Madison. But Indiana’s success in 2024 should mean ample NIL resources for players like Ponds, who also showed loyalty last offseason to Cignetti and the staff that recruited him out of high school.
Safeties
While Indiana may return most of its cornerbacks, the safety position is almost the opposite. The main group in 2024 consisted of Amare Ferrell, Shawn Asbury II, Terry Jones Jr. and Josh Sanguinetti. Ferrell is the only one with eligibility to return. He played all over the field this year, and that versatility could benefit Indiana as it adds safeties.
Bryson Bonds is the other potential returner. He’s been with the Hoosiers since 2020 but never as a starter. Byron Baldwin was the highest-ranked recruit in 2025, but even if he’s ready to contribute as a true freshman, Indiana could look to add at least three transfers here and multiple starters to pair alongside Ferrell.
Special teams
Punter James Evans is out of eligibility after four years as Indiana’s starter. Alejandro Quintero is the only other punter listed on the roster, though he also handled a few kickoffs this year. Quintero or a transfer seem to be Indiana’s options at punter next season.
Derek McCormick was Indiana’s kickoff specialist in seven games in 2024, his final year of eligibility. While he was hurt midseason, Indiana replaced him with Quintero and Quinn Warren, who could compete for this job next season, unless Cignetti looks to the portal like he did with McCormick.
Nicolas Radicic appears to be a surefire option as Indiana’s field goal and extra point kicker next year. Through the regular season, he made all 69 extra-point attempts – a single-season program record – and 9-of-10 field goals. His longest field goal was 41 yards against Michigan, and his lone miss was from 46 yards in the snow against Purdue.
This was long snapper Mark Langston’s sixth year of college, but just the third season in which he’s played any games. He missed the 2023 season due to injury, so he could possibly get a medical redshirt and return next year. If not, Indiana will have to turn to Jaxon Miller, the only other long snapper listed on the roster, or go to the portal.