Wide Receiver Elijah Sarratt Continues Upward Climb With Indiana
Elijah Sarratt received little interest from colleges coming out of high school, but he had interest from several Power 5 schools this offseason after putting up big numbers his first two seasons.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Elijah Sarratt’s football career has taught him patience, and that some days won’t go how you’d like. But with a consistent approach of hard work, steady growth toward big goals is possible.
Sarratt’s name had zero stars and no ranking next to it when he graduated from St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, Md., in the spring of 2022. Less than two years later, he’s suiting up for Indiana and preparing to go up against some of the nation’s top college football programs in the Big Ten.
“Blessed to be here,” Sarratt said Thursday after spring practice in his first media appearance as a Hoosier. “My senior year [of high school], I didn’t know where I was going to end up.”
Sarratt, a 6-foot-2, 209-pound wide receiver, began his college career at St. Francis University, a Division I FCS program in Loretto, Pa., with an enrollment of roughly 2,000 students that competes in the Northeast Conference. It’s a program that Sarratt said “took a chance on me.” As a freshman, he helped the Red Flash go 9-3, hauling in 42 receptions for 700 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Sarratt made the FCS Freshman All-American team, and that success drew the attention of several non-Power 5 FBS programs, including James Madison, which had just gone 8-3 in its first year at that level under coach Curt Cignetti. Sarratt transferred to James Madison for his sophomore season, and his production grew.
The Dukes went 11-2, and their only losses came by three points in overtime against Appalachian State and by 10 points against Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl, after most of its coaching staff had left to take jobs at Indiana.
Sarratt was a key cog in a potent James Madison offense that ranked 20th in the FBS in passing yards per game (284.8) and 23rd in points per game (34.1). He caught 82 passes for 1,191 and eight touchdowns. He finished the season particularly strong, with four straight games of 100-plus receiving yards. Sarratt made the All-Sun Belt first team, and he ranked 11th nationally in receiving yards, one spot behind Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr., a potential top-10 NFL Draft pick.
Sarratt wasn’t sure at first if he was going to transfer after the 2023 season, due to an NCAA rule that said two-time transfers must sit out a full season. The NCAA got rid of that rule in December, though, and Sarratt entered the portal for a second time, looking to make another jump.
He had interest from various Power 5 programs, including South Carolina, Utah, Purdue, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Kansas State. Sarratt said Cignetti and the Indiana coaching staff talked to him immediately about reuniting with them in Bloomington, but they didn’t pressure him to commit right away.
“I had my options open, definitely,” Sarratt said.
He planned several visits but ultimately canceled all but his first. During his visit to Indiana, Sarratt heard everything he needed.
“I came here because the coaching staff is a great coaching staff,” Sarratt said. “They were getting me the ball, putting me in spots that I wanted to get put in. The strength staff is a great staff. They were a big reason. They get your body right, and all of that. So a little bit of everything. I like everything that they do, so that’s why I came here.”
Sarratt is one of four wide receivers that transferred to Indiana this offseason, along with Myles Price (Texas Tech), Miles Cross (Ohio) and Ke’Shawn Williams (Wake Forest). The Hoosiers also return leading receiver Donaven McCulley, plus E.J. Williams Jr., Omar Cooper Jr. and Andison Coby, creating a wide receiver room with experience, talent and depth more than perhaps any position on the team.
Cignetti, offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Mike Shanahan and quarterbacks coach/co-offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri had a strong track record of offensive production at James Madison. Sarratt believes that comes from building trust, knowing players’ strengths and fine-tuning every element of the offense.
“They’re big on the details,” Sarratt said. “If I’m one yard off on my split, I’m wrong, which is good. You gotta be where they want you to be so the whole play works out. Just little stuff like that.”
Sarratt said he can line up in the slot or on the outside, which gives Indiana’s offense some flexibility, especially given the amount of talented receivers. He’s still working on building chemistry with quarterbacks Kurtis Rourke (Ohio), returning redshirt sophomore Tayven Jackson and freshman Tyler Cherry.
But he also feels a sense of comfort in a new environment, as Cignetti has kept things similar in structure to James Madison. That was part of the draw for Sarratt, too, who’s using that familiarity to help others and take on more of a leadership role. He led a portion of warmups during Thursday’s practice, both vocally and through his actions.
Sarratt’s college career has come with an increase in both production and competition each year, going from St. Francis in the FCS to Indiana in the Big Ten. He has his biggest challenge yet in 2024, and he remains motivated to continue that upward trajectory.
“If you check my film from freshman year to now, I’ve improved on a lot of things,” Sarratt said. “But I’m nowhere near where I want to be. I know I have a lot of growth to do.”
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