Indiana sends powerful message with three players on star-studded college football ranking
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Indiana sends powerful message with three players on star-studded college football ranking originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Indiana lost several of the stars who helped transform the program into a national contender, but the Hoosiers are not disappearing from the college football conversation.
Three Indiana players earned spots on Sports Illustrated’s ranking of the 25 players with the most to prove and gain in 2026. Wide receiver Charlie Becker led the group at No. 13, followed by defensive lineman Tyrique Tucker at No. 18 and offensive tackle Carter Smith at No. 22.
Indiana tied Oregon and Texas for the most selections of any program. Ohio State, Miami and Notre Dame each placed two players on the list. That representation is another indication that Curt Cignetti has built something designed to last in Bloomington.
MORE: Oregon picked to win elusive first national championship in 2026
Indiana’s next generation is ready for larger roles
Becker enters 2026 with an opportunity to become the Hoosiers’ top receiver after Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr. were selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.
His late-season production suggests he is prepared.
Becker caught seven passes for 118 yards in a difficult regular-season game against Penn State. He then totaled 14 receptions for 290 yards and two touchdowns across the Big Ten championship and Indiana’s three College Football Playoff games. Smith will be responsible for protecting new quarterback Josh Hoover after the TCU transfer arrived to lead the offense. The consensus All-American and reigning Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year anchors a unit returning four starters.
Indiana surrendered only 22 sacks across 15 games in 2025 despite operating one of the country’s most aggressive passing attacks. Tucker provides similar stability on defense. The former James Madison transfer finished last season with six sacks and 12 tackles for loss, earning third-team All-American recognition.
He is also the last of the original group of James Madison transfers who followed Cignetti to Indiana.
Replacing high-end NFL talent is never simple. Yet Becker, Smith and Tucker give the Hoosiers proven building blocks at three critical positions. Indiana’s success is no longer being treated as a one-season surprise. Its representation alongside Texas and Oregon shows how dramatically the perception of Cignetti’s program has changed.
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