With spring football approaching, we’re going position by position looking at Indiana’s roster.
The Hoosiers lost a lot at wide receiver after winning the national championship.
Between Omar Cooper Jr., Elijah Sarratt, and E.J. Williams Jr., IU is losing a combined 170 receptions for 2,205 yards and 34 touchdowns from last season. It won’t be easy to replace that production, particularly the reliability Cooper and Sarratt brought to Curt Cignetti and Mike Shanahan’s offense.
But Indiana’s receiver room has plenty of promise going into 2026. Charlie Becker will headline the group of returnees, after playing every bit as big a role in the team’s championship run as Sarratt and Cooper. He hauled in 34 passes for 679 yards and four touchdowns in 2025, with so many big plays in the College Football Playoff.
Tyler Morris is an intriguing name on the returnee list. He was expected to play a real role for the 2025 team until he suffered a season-ending knee injury in spring ball last year. But he’ll be back in the mix this season, with a clear opportunity to earn playing time in Bloomington. It’s easy to see him starting in the slot.
The Hoosiers added plenty of notable transfers out of the portal in January, but none may be as significant as former Michigan State wideout Nick Marsh. The rising junior finished the last two seasons as MSU’s leading receiver, putting up 1,311 combined yards in two mediocre passing offenses. He should be in line to start for a much stronger Indiana unit this year, with All-Big Ten potential if things work out well.
Perhaps Tulane transfer Shazz Preston could take on that role, as well. Becker’s positional flexibility to play both inside and outside could allow for the Hoosiers to utilize different lineups and potentially rotate a slot receiver with an outside receiver. Preston led the Green Wave last year with 723 yards and four touchdowns.
IU’s returning sophomores should be interesting to watch, as well. Lebron Bond has a lot of speed and could turn into a creative weapon if he’s ready for a bigger role. Davion Chandler and Myles Kendrick have potential, as well.
Roster overview
Who’s gone:
- Elijah Sarratt (out of eligibility)
- Omar Cooper Jr. (entered NFL Draft)
- Jonathan Brady (out of eligibility)
- E.J. Williams Jr. (out of eligibility)
Who’s returning:
- Charlie Becker (junior)
- Lebron Bond (sophomore)
- Davion Chandler (sophomore)
- Myles Kendrick (sophomore)
- Tyler Morris (redshirt senior)
Who’s joining:
- Shazz Preston (transfer — Tulane; redshirt senior)
- Nick Marsh (transfer — Michigan State; junior)
- Kortez Rupert (three-star, East Saint Louis, Ill.)
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