Indiana's Recruiting Blueprint Is Coming Into Focus

Curt Cignetti and his staff have had two full recruiting cycles in Bloomington after a whirlwind signing day in year one. The blueprint of how he is building his classes at Indiana is coming into focus after landing 2028 four-star quarterback Lukas Prock.

It Starts with a Quarterback

The Hoosiers did not add a high school quarterback in the 2026 cycles, but they had Cash Herrera commit in June, then de-commit and head to Boise State. Both the 2027 and 2028 classes have started with highly regarded quarterbacks as well.

3-star Jameson Purcell committed to the Hoosiers in July of 2025 as the first member of that class. Purcell has played a key role in getting other players to join the team, including five-star prospect Monshun Sales.

That pattern continued after the Hoosiers landed their first commitment of the 2028 high school class in quarterback Lukas Prock.

Cignetti and the Hoosiers want to start a class with a cornerstone quarterback.

Blue Chips on the Way, but it's Not All That Matters

Lawrence North’s Monshun Sales poses for a photo Thursday, July 24, 2025, at Decatur Central High School in Indianapolis. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Indiana put the "blue chip ratio" metric of roster evaluation in the grave after going 16-0 last season, with a roster that some called the least "talented" in the Big Ten.

The Hoosiers will dip into the blue-chip pool (four- and five-star recruits), as they have landed five in the 2027 class, seven in the 2026 class, and now one in the 2028 class.

However, it's not all that matters to the staff. The recruit needs to fit their program culture and standards. This staff trusts their evaluation process and will take anyone who they think can help the program.

There's Always the Portal

When people talk about Indiana football recruiting, it is difficult to ignore their focus and success in the transfer portal. It seems like nearly every portal signing comes in and plays a big role.

That success rate does not happen by accident. Cignetti has his process to find the right players for his program.

"First thing when a name comes up, I Google it, right? And ESPN's got like the guy's picture and his career stats, season stats. I want to see how productive and consistent he's been. Then it goes to the tape, which our recruiting department has ready." Cignetti said at Big Ten Media Days.

If It Ain't Broke Don't FIx It

Cignetti's blueprint for success is battle-tested and successful, so why change it now? While it is great to grab headlines about high school recruiting rankings in the offseason, it's an old way of thinking. The blueprint is 27-2 at Indiana; why change it?

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