Indiana added to an already impressive group of 2026 defensive linemen with a commitment from Cameron McHaney on Tuesday afternoon.
McHaney announced his verbal pledge to the Hoosiers on his social media pages. He told Tom Loy of 247Sports he chose IU because “he fit the scheme perfectly.”
The 6-foot-1 and 315-pound McHaney picked IU over four other finalists: Illinois, Louisville, Purdue and Vanderbilt. He took official visits to his finalists over the last couple months.
Based on the average of the national sites, McHaney is the No. 408 overall player in the class, and the No. 39 defensive lineman. He’s a high-end 3-star overall, including a 4-star at ESPN. He’s known for his quick-burst and speed, and his low center of gravity helps him gain leverage against blockers.
An Indianapolis product, McHaney attends national prep school IMG Academy in Florida where he played against a national schedule. He recorded 39 tackles as a junior, (7 TFL), with 2 sacks, 2 pass breakups and 2 QB hits.
McHaney transferred to IMG after playing his sophomore season at Indianapolis Lutheran, which went 13-0 and won its second consecutive Indiana 1A state title in 2023. As a sophomore there he was credited with 81 tackles (7 TFL), 1 sack and 1 fumble recovery.
His junior season highlights with IMG are below.
McHaney is IU’s 20th verbal commit in a 2026 class that is ranked around No. 30 in the nation by the main recruiting outlets. He’s the fourth defensive lineman to commit to IU this cycle. Here is the rest of the class, with links to profiles on each player.
INDIANA’S 2026 CLASS AHEAD OF McHANEY COMMITMENT —
- Gabe Hill, Naperville, Illinois, DL (4-star)
- Henry Ohlinger, Columbus, Ohio, LB/RB (4-star)
- Kevontay Hugan, Sarasota, Fla., Edge (4-star)
- Kasmir Hicks, Indianapolis, Indiana, CB/WR (3-star)
- Sam Simpson, River Falls, Wisconsin, IOL (3-star)
- Jayreon Campbell, Powder Springs, Georgia, RB (3-star)
- Cash Herrera, San Diego, California, QB (3-star)
- Trevor Gibbs, Crown Point, Indiana, TE (3-star)
- Jamar Owens, Douglasville, Georgia, S (3-star)
- Kortez Rupert, East St. Louis, Illinois, WR (3-star)
- P.J. MacFarlane, Liberty Township, Ohio, TE (3-star)
- Blake Smythe, Franklin, Indiana, DL (3-star)
- Ja’Dyn Williams, Massillon, Ohio, LB (3-star)
- Jacob Savage, Union, Kentucky, LB (3-star)
- Rodney White, Towson, Maryland, DL (3-star)
- Kenton Mondeau, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, OT (3-star)
- Laron Dues, Sarasota, Florida, S (3-star)
- CJ Scifres, Greenwood, Indiana, OL (3-star)
- Parker Elmore, Columbus, Indiana, TE (3-star)
For complete coverage of IU football recruiting, GO HERE.
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