Curt Cignetti may have seen one recruiting headache quietly resolve itself.
Ja’Hyde Brown’s path has already zigzagged more than most prospects do in a full college career. The 4-star wide receiver originally committed to Indiana on January 10, making him the highest-ranked pledge in the Hoosiers’ 2027 class at the time. Then came the first turn: Brown backed off that decision on March 12.
Not long after, he landed at Louisville on March 30. That fit made some sense on paper, since Brown is a Louisville native. But even that commitment hasn’t fully settled the conversation.
Despite saying he is "100% committed" to Louisville, Brown is still drawing serious attention elsewhere. Hayes Fawcett of On3 reported that Florida, Texas, Ohio State, Georgia, Ole Miss and Kentucky are all trying to pull him away from the Cardinals. Fawcett also said Brown is currently on a visit to Florida and plans to visit Texas in the coming weeks.
Brown’s stock keeps climbing, too. When he committed to Indiana, the 5-foot-11, 180-pound receiver was ranked by 247Sports Composite as the No. 49 wide receiver in the 2027 class. He has since moved up to No. 23 nationally at the position.
That rise only adds to the sense that Indiana may have dodged a messy situation. Cignetti has made his stance clear: he wants players who actually want to be at Indiana. He has focused less on chasing talent for talent’s sake and more on finding recruits who are fully bought in.
If Brown truly wanted to be a Hoosier, he would still be one. Instead, he kept looking around. For Indiana, that means less uncertainty hanging over the 2027 class and no lingering drama over a commitment that never felt fully locked in.
And the Hoosiers have filled out that receiver group nicely since Brown stepped away. Cignetti has added three wideouts to the class, headlined by Lawrence North WR Monshun Sales, the first 5-star high school commit in Indiana football recruiting history.
Sales picked Indiana over Ohio State, Texas, Alabama and LSU. The other receiver commits are 4-star Branden Sharpe and 3-star Jordan Carrasquillo.
As things stand, Indiana’s 2027 class is ranked No. 27 in the country by On3.
In Other News...
Indianas Ohio State Showdown Just Lost The Atmosphere Fans Wanted
Indianas Week 7 meeting with Ohio State had been shaping up as one of the most anticipated moments on the schedule, especially with Curt Cignettis team drawing a Top-10 showdown against a program that usually brings out a different level of energy in Bloomington. The buildup still has plenty of weight because the Hoosiers first have Nebraska in Week 6, but the Buckeyes game had been the one penciled in as the marquee home date, the kind that can give a season a different feel.
Instead, the kickoff time has taken some of the edge off. FOXs Big Noon Kickoff slot means the game lands at noon ET, which is fine for television but not ideal for the kind of atmosphere fans were hoping for, especially with a night setting likely to amplify the noise and tension. The matchup still matters plenty, but the timing has shifted it from a potential stadium-rocker into something a little less dramatic than Indiana supporters probably imagined. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Just Landed The Kind Of Recruit Fans Have Been Waiting For
Indiana basketball just landed a major early win on the recruiting trail, securing a commitment from Darius Wabbington, a 2027 five-star center who ranks No. 13 overall in his class. The 7-foot big man chose Indiana over Arizona and Illinois, giving Darian DeVries the kind of headline addition that instantly changes the tone around a young recruiting class.
For DeVries, it is his highest-ranked recruit and his first five-star commitment since taking over, a meaningful milestone for a program trying to build real momentum with elite talent. Wabbington brings the size, skill set and NBA upside that can anchor a class, and his decision gives Indiana a centerpiece prospect to pair with other top names already in the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Urban Meyer Just Gave Ohio State Fans A New Indiana Debate
Indianas rise under Curt Cignetti has become one of the sports best early-season stories, with the Hoosiers sitting at 5-0 and ranked No. 7 after a sharp two-year climb. The schedule has already started to shape the conversation around just how far this group can go, especially with ranked matchups against Ohio State and USC still ahead and Oregon not on the slate.
Urban Meyer added another layer to that debate this week by casting doubt on how much weight should be given to Indianas record, arguing that games against lower-tier opponents should not all count the same when measuring the Hoosiers. For Indiana fans, the bigger issue is not the skepticism itself but what comes next, because the real chance to answer it is still waiting on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]