Indiana Football to Host 2 Standout Big Ten Transfers for Portal Visits

When No. 1 Indiana football landed back in Bloomington on Friday morning after defeating No. 9 Alabama on Thursday in the Rose Bowl, the NCAA transfer portal had officially opened — and the Hoosiers wasted little time securing visits with two premier Big Ten targets.

Indiana will host Michigan State receiver Nick Marsh on Jan. 3-4, according to On3 insider Hayes Fawcett, and Penn State defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam at an undisclosed date, per 247Sports reporter Chris Hummer.

Marsh will also visit Notre Dame and "may add one more visit," Fawcett said. Likewise, Gilliam has a visit scheduled to Notre Dame, according to Hummer, along with Texas A&M.

What Nick Marsh would bring to Indiana football

Marsh is one of the most intriguing receivers in the portal. At 6-foot-3 and 203 pounds, the true sophomore is loaded with talent and has a productive background.

A Detroit native, Marsh set Michigan State freshman records with 41 catches for 649 yards, and he tied for the team lead with three touchdown receptions in 2024. He followed suit with an even stronger 2025 campaign, leading the team with 59 catches for 662 yards and six touchdowns.

Indiana has questions about the makeup of its receiver room entering 2026.

Senior wideout Elijah Sarratt, who leads the Big Ten with 13 receiving touchdowns, will be out of eligibility at season's end, as will E.J. Williams Jr., whose 35 catches and five receiving scores rank third best on the team. Redshirt junior Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana's leader with 61 catches for 849 yards, has a decision about whether he'll use his final year of eligibility or enter the 2026 NFL Draft.

Sophomore standout Charlie Becker projects as a fixture to the Hoosiers' receiving corps next season, while freshmen LeBron Bond and Davion Chandler have each flashed in limited playing time this season.

Marsh would give Indiana an experienced, proven playmaker on the outside — by and large, a strong fit to try to fill Sarratt's shoes.

What Xavier Gilliam would bring to Indiana football

Gilliam, who stands 6-foot-2 and 300 pounds, was graded as a four-star recruit by ESPN and three-star by the rest of the major outlets. He redshirted as a true freshman before stepping into a more prominent role in 2025.

The Montgomery Village, Md., native played in all 13 games this season, recording 15 tackles, two tackles for loss and one-half sack. Gilliam played 409 snaps — a near split in pass vs. run defense, as he played 202 snaps against the pass and 207 vs. the run — and collected 15 quarterback pressures and 11 run stops, according to Pro Football Focus.

Indiana will lose senior defensive tackles Hosea Wheeler and Dominique Ratcliff to graduation, leaving two rotational roles open behind redshirt junior Tyrique Tucker and sophomore Mario Landino.

After an encouraging second season, Gilliam appears to be a hot commodity in the portal cycle, and he'd elevate the Hoosiers' depth and talent on the interior.