Four of the top-100 players in college football will be wearing an Indiana uniform this fall, says an ESPN panel.
That’s among well over 5,000 players throughout all of Power 4, and well over 10,000 throughout the FBS.
Five of ESPN’s college football analysts (David Hale, Adam Rittenberg, Chris Low, Paolo Uggetti and Bill Connelly) produced the list “each using some variation of hard data and educated guesswork to compile it.”
Interestingly enough, Fernando Mendoza, a player mentioned regularly by the same outlet as a potential 2026 NFL first round draft choice, is not included. One quarterback who is included is former IU commit Josh Hoover, who has gone on to have a solid career at TCU.
From Indiana, the following players made the list:
- No. 82 – D’Angelo Ponds (CB)
- No. 78 – Elijah Sarratt (WR)
- No. 77 – Aiden Fisher (LB)
- No. 35 – Mikail Kamara (DE)
For the sake of comparison, Penn State has seven players on the list, while Texas has six, Alabama and Ohio State have five, Notre Dame has four, and Georgia has three.
The outlet also named redshirt junior wide receiver Omar Cooper, Jr. 1 of 43 potential breakout stars across college football in 2025.
IU coach Curt Cignetti told ESPN this about Cooper in the piece.
“He has big-play ability, working on becoming a little bit more consistent play in and play out, but he’ll have probably more opportunities this year,” Cignetti said of Cooper. “He’s explosive, can play inside, outside, can get on top of people and still do some back-shoulder stuff. He’s got good speed, good strength, good ball skills. He’s one of those guys that, instead of flashing quite a bit, now has just got to do it every play.”
Here’s what ESPN said about the five Hoosier stars:
35. Mikail Kamara
DE, Indiana, senior
2024 stats: 19 solo tackles, 10 sacks, 2 FF
2024 postseason ranking: 55Kamara was part of the James Madison contingent that followed coach Curt Cignetti to Indiana and made an immediate impact during the team’s historic 2024 season. A second-team All-Sun Belt selection in 2023, he was a first-team All-Big Ten selection last fall and a third-team AP All-American after leading the FBS in total pressures (73) and finishing with 10 sacks and 15 tackles for loss for the nation’s No. 2 defense. — Rittenberg
77. Aiden Fisher
LB, Indiana, senior
2024 stats: 118 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 4 PD
2024 postseason ranking: 73Heading into his senior season, Fisher has been a tackle machine for the Hoosiers and is set to be a crucial part of their defense yet again. The 6-1, 231-pound linebacker was a first-team All-American last year. — Uggetti
78. Elijah Sarratt
WR, Indiana, senior
2024 stats: 53 receptions, 957 yards, 8 TD
2024 postseason ranking: NRSarratt has produced everywhere he has been, from FCS Saint Francis to James Madison to Indiana, and played a big role in helping coach Cignetti flip the Hoosiers into an instant CFP contender in 2024. He finished sixth in the Big Ten in receiving yards in his debut season and third in yards per catch (18.1) but still chose to run it back for one more season with Cignetti rather than go pro. — Max Olson
82. D’Angelo Ponds
CB, Indiana, junior
2024 stats: 35 solo tackles, 3 INT, 9 PD
2024 postseason ranking: 51After an impressive true freshman season at James Madison, Ponds joined coach Curt Cignetti at Indiana and earned first-team All-Big Ten honors as well as All-America recognition. He had two interceptions, including a 67-yard pick-six, against Washington and blocked a punt for a safety against Michigan State. His most productive games came against top competition, as he had three passes defended against Ohio State and an interception against Notre Dame. — Rittenberg
Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana Hoosiers
Class: Sophomore
Height/weight: 6-foot, 201 pounds
2024 stats: 12 games (4 starts), 28 receptions, 594 receiving yards, 7 touchdowns, 1 rushing touchdown
ESPN recruiting snapshot: Three stars, No. 100 wide receiver, No. 12 in Indiana
Cooper is hardly a total unknown, as he finished second in receiving on a CFP team behind an All-Big Ten player, Elijah Sarratt, who returns this season. But Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti expects possibly even bigger things from the third-year wide receiver, who will be even more of a complement to Sarratt this fall. All but four of Cooper’s receptions went for first downs, and he averaged 21.2 yards per reception with three of 40 yards or longer. He projects as a top target for new quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
For complete coverage of IU football, GO HERE.
The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”
– Join our Premium Discord Chat by GOING HERE.
- You can follow us on X: @daily_hoosier and find us on Facebook and Instagram
- Seven ways to support completely free IU coverage at no cost to you.
