'Ready to Play Right Now': Indiana Freshman DB Byron Baldwin Impressing in Fall Camp

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — As he backpedaled, flipped his hips and drove forward during Monday's practice, Indiana freshman defensive back Byron Baldwin Jr. drew praise from safeties coach Ola Adams.

The next drill, Adams liked the second half of Baldwin's rep, but he was more focused on the first half, where Baldwin misstepped. Baldwin acknowledged Adams' coaching and rejoined the line of safeties.

After Baldwin later dropped a pass, he did five push-ups. When he stumbled on one rep, he and Adams had a lighthearted exchange. When he returned to the sideline, he dapped fellow freshman safety Garrett Reese.

This is life for the 6-foot-2, 194-pound Baldwin, who's vocal, engaged and continually shows the talent and athleticism that made him the highest-ranked player in the Hoosiers' 2025 recruiting class. The Baltimore native has been similarly impressive behind closed doors.

Baldwin, by all accounts, has lived up to the hype through Indiana's first week of fall camp.

"He brings a lot of energy," junior cornerback D'Angelo Ponds said. "He's a young guy. He's willing to learn. I think he reminds me of myself, kind of — he asks questions about everything. He wants to learn. I see he's got a lot of potential in him, so definitely see a little bit of myself in him."

Ponds knows about successful freshman seasons. He was a freshman All-American and second-team All-Sun Belt selection as a true freshman in 2023 at James Madison University, starting the final 10 games while ranking 11th in the FBS with 15 passes defensed.

Indiana junior defensive back Amare Ferrell wasn't as decorated as Ponds, but he was the Hoosiers' lone 2023 recruit who didn't redshirt as a freshman and played in all 12 games.

Ferrell, like Ponds, has taken on a leadership role this offseason. Indiana's safeties are a mixed bag of experience — Ferrell, Louis Moore Devan Boykin and Bryson Bonds are upperclassmen with at least one year of extensive action — and youth, as Baldwin spearheads a freshman quartet that also includes Reese, Seaonta Stewart Sr. and redshirt Jah Jah Boyd.

Though the Hoosiers have veterans, Baldwin may prove too talented to leave off the field. Ferrell is trying to guide him accordingly.

"For him, I would probably say just make sure he does everything to the standard, make sure he does everything the right way," Ferrell said. "Since he's a freshman, we want to make sure he comes in ready to play, ready to practice, ready to know the playbook and do everything right so his chances of getting on the field are better."

Baldwin has checked those boxes thus far, and while he hasn't yet climbed atop Indiana's safety rotation, he's shown Ferrell he's ahead of the proverbial freshman curve.

"He's always asking questions in the meetings," Ferrell said. "He's definitely one of those young guys that's ready to play right now, but we also still have a lot to work on as well."

Indiana coach Curt Cignetti singled out Baldwin following the Hoosiers' spring game, noting he and receiver Isaiah Bond were two standout freshmen from spring practice who carried their momentum into the exhibition. Baldwin impressed Cignetti with his speed, ball skills and physicality during his first taste of college practices.

Enrolling in the spring, Cignetti said, is a "big-time benefit" for freshmen, as they get immersed in the playbook and weight room. And when they return for the fall, Cignetti believes, they're similar to sophomores because they have been through practices and understand expectations.

Several early enrollees made the subsequent step forward, said Cignetti, who added the Hoosiers have "a couple freshmen doing fairly well" to begin fall camp.

Their biggest test still stands ahead.

"The main thing would be maturity level and being able to handle all the things, especially once school starts," Cignetti said. "Handling success, handling failure. Being consistent. Having good habits. Not getting caught up in things freshman get caught up in.

"Let's see where we're at."

Baldwin arrived in Bloomington with four-star pedigree, and he was ranked as a top-100 recruit by multiple outlets. He's a cornerstone representative for Indiana's recruiting uptick under Cignetti.

And if his start to fall camp is any indication, Baldwin appears poised to deliver on his lofty expectations — perhaps sooner than originally believed.

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