Indiana Football Bolsters Defensive Line With Latest Transfer Portal Addition

The Hoosiers picked up a commitment from Tulsa transfer Joe Hjelle.

Indiana Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti looks on before the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Indiana arrived in Atlanta on Wednesday for Friday's Peach Bowl matchup with No. 5 Oregon, but the Hoosiers' transfer portal recruiting efforts haven't stopped.

On Thursday morning, Indiana gained a commitment from Tulsa defensive lineman Joe Hjelle, as first reported by Matt Zenitz of 247Sports.

Joe Hjelle's background

Joe Hjelle played the last two seasons at Tulsa and began his career at Iowa Western Community College. | photo via @joe_hjelle on X

Hjelle is a 6-foot-3, 300-pound defensive defensive tackle. Playing 12 games for a 4-8 Tulsa team under first-year coach Tre Lamb in 2025, he ranked eighth on the team with 46 tackles, seventh with 4.5 tackles for loss and fifth with 2.5 sacks.

Hjelle also played for former Indiana football coach Kevin Wilson at Tulsa during the 2024 season. He recorded 19 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss in 12 games, and made the 2024 academic all-conference team.

Hjelle's background is similar to several Hoosiers who were overlooked recruits out of high school but have become key players under Curt Cignetti. Despite making the Iowa Sportswriter Association's all-state team as a defensive lineman his senior year, Hjelle didn't receive much Division I interest and began his college career at Iowa Western Community College.

Even after helping IWCC win the NJCAA national championship both seasons and earning a starting role in 2023, Hjelle was only considered a two-star recruit by 247Sports among 2024 junior college recruits. That led to him transferring to Tulsa, where he continued to build a reputation that ultimately led to interest from top-ranked Indiana.

How Hjelle fits at Indiana

Mikail Kamara (6) and the Indiana defensive line against Old Dominion at Memorial Stadium. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Defensive line was an area of need for Indiana in the latest transfer portal and high school recruiting cycle. On the edge, the Hoosiers are set to lose Mikail Kamara, Kellan Wyatt, Stephen Daley and Andrew Turvy to graduation after the season. On the interior, Dominique Ratcliff and Hosea Wheeler will be out of eligibility following the CFP run.

Indiana will return two key defensive linemen in AP All-American second-team tackle Tyrique Tucker and Mario Landino, who has six tackles and five sacks this season. Several reserve defensive ends can return, too. But Cignetti and defensive coordinator Bryant Haines like to have depth on the defensive line, so additions were necessary.

Indiana has accomplished that by bringing Hjelle, along with Notre Dame defensive end transfer Joshua Burnham and Kansas State defensive end transfers Tobi Osunsanmi and Chiddi Obiazor. Cignetti also brought in five defensive linemen in his 2025 high school recruiting class and has six more coming in the 2026 class.

Pressure from the line has helped Indiana become one of the nation's best defenses in 2025, and Hjelle will be part of the team's effort to reload that unit going into 2026.

• How To Watch Indiana vs Oregon in Peach Bowl CFP Semifinals

• Indiana Football Is Here To Stay After Loaded Transfer Portal Haul

• National Championship Odds Released Ahead Of CFP Semifinals

• Nick Saban Coaching Tree Members Fill College Football Playoff Semifinals