Curt Cignetti’s recruiting run at Indiana has already changed the conversation, and the next wave is starting to take shape.
The Hoosiers used to be an afterthought for top high school talent. That’s no longer the case.
Indiana’s 2027 class already includes more than six blue-chip prospects, headlined by five-star wide receiver Monshun Sales, the first five-star high school commit in program history. Sales, who plays at Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis, was a major in-state win for Cignetti and his staff, and keeping elite Indiana talent at home has become a clear priority.
That approach is carrying into the 2029 cycle, and one of the first names on the board is Austin Phillips. The East Noble High School standout has not yet been included in the official 2029 rankings, but he’s already drawing heavy Power 4 interest and looks like one of the state’s best prospects.
Phillips brings a big frame at 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, and his freshman season gave plenty of reasons for programs to take notice. Playing linebacker at East Noble in Kendallville, IN, he earned First-Team NE8 All-Conference honors and was named the NE Indiana GameNight Newcomer of the Year. He finished with 99 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 8 QB hurries and 3 forced fumbles.
He also contributed on offense as a two-player player, getting snaps at running back. On the ground, he piled up 967 yards, averaged 8.13 yards per carry and scored 11 touchdowns. For now, linebacker looks like his college position, though with three seasons of high school football still ahead of him, that picture could still change.
Cignetti isn’t waiting around. Phillips announced over the weekend that he’ll be at Indiana for the season opener against North Texas on Saturday, September 5. The Hoosiers will also hold a National Championship ceremony before the game, a setting that could make a strong early impression as Phillips’ recruitment begins to heat up in the fall.
Excited to be at @IndianaFootball for the first game of the season!!!! @TomLoy247 @Andrew_Ivins @AllenTrieu @Bryan_Ault @SWiltfong_ @Coach_BHaines @MattWilsonDPP @CoachAMoyers @MikeFerraraIU @brooks_halsey @CarterImesIU pic.twitter.com/PAomvGH9K4
- Austin Phillips (@Austin_RB2) July 31, 2026
The visit comes on the heels of another important recruiting step for Indiana. On July 23, Cignetti landed 4-star quarterback Lukas Prock, the first commit in Indiana’s 2028 class. With Phillips now set to come through Bloomington, the Hoosiers are looking for an early spark in the 2029 cycle as well.
That matters because a strong start there could help Indiana chase its highest-ranked recruiting class ever. The 2027 group came close, and the Hoosiers are currently sitting at No. 29 in the Rivals rankings, just short of the program’s best-ever finish of No. 25 in 2022.
There’s still a long way to go, but the broader trend is obvious. Indiana’s success on the field under Cignetti has spilled over onto the recruiting trail, and the Hoosiers are now operating in territory they’ve rarely occupied before.
Between the transfer portal and high school recruiting, the momentum around the program keeps building. Hoosier fans are hoping it keeps rolling into the 2028 and 2029 classes.
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