Indiana’s roster saw a major boost this week when news broke defensive end Stephen Daley intends to come back for a fifth season after a federal injunction cleared the way for his return.
Who else might be eyeing a fifth season and a return to Bloomington under the same injunction?
Here are three more 2025 Hoosiers On3’s Pete Nakos has said are currently considering a return for a fifth season of college football:
Kellan Wyatt (OLB/DE) – After transferring in from Maryland during the offseason, Wyatt was one of Indiana’s most impactful players on the defensive side of the ball. In seven games he had 27 tackles, including 8.5 for a loss and 2.5 sacks.
Wyatt was injured in the fourth quarter of the Michigan State game last October and missed the remainder of the season.
He played three seasons at Maryland ahead of his lone year at Indiana.
Jonathan Brady (WR) – In 16 games he caught 14 passes for 115 yards and scored three touchdowns for the Hoosiers in 2025.
He finished No. 5 on the single-season punt return yardage list at Indiana (347). Brady was named All-Big Ten return specialist second team by the conference coaches and third team by media.
Brady played two seasons at New Mexico State and a year at California before heading to Indiana in 2025.
Brady’s fact pattern may be complicated by the fact he signed an NFL undrafted free agent deal and spent time with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Holden Staes (Tight End) – Staes played at Notre Dame, Tennessee and Indiana over four college seasons.
As a Hoosier in 2025, Staes played in all 16 games with 323 total snaps on offense, and another 64 on special teams. The 6-foot-4 and 250-pound Staes caught seven passes for 62 yards and two scores. He had 38 catches for 380 yards and seven scores over four seasons.
The IU football roster shared with the media at the first practice of fall camp on Wednesday includes a total of 105 players, including Daley.
College football rosters are capped at 105 players, but there are exceptions.
The Designated Student Athlete rule allows teams to be over the roster limit with certain players who would have otherwise been cut once the roster limits were implemented. DSAs are players who were on a roster during the 2024-25 season or who were committed as part of the class of 2025 who were cut or would have been cut from a roster due to the roster limits being implemented.
It’s unclear who is a DSA on the IU roster, but the Hoosiers likely have them and thus are likely allowed to go over 105 players.
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