Indiana football claimed a big local recruiting win Monday by beating Purdue but also surpassing an SEC challenger.
Indiana football trended to land the nation's No. 1 wide receiver Monshun Sales five days ago. The national champions didn't land him on Monday. But pulled off a pivotal College Football Recruiting win anyway over rival Purdue and Vanderbilt.
IU won over 2027 wide receiver and three-star Branden Sharpe, who confirmed his decision to Hayes Fawcett of On3/Rivals. The Brownsburg High star added a “The best in Indiana, play at Indiana” message in his commitment decision.
He rises as a notable local recruiting win for head coach Curt Cignetti. Especially during a time Hoosiers football is sparking new enthusiasm across the state and nation.
More high-profile recruits including four and five stars are considering IU now. The Hoosiers watched those blue chip talents choose Big Ten rivals Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, or even Illinois over Indiana in the past. IU also has to deal with west coast representatives Oregon and USC plucking high-caliber talent.
But Indiana has what those powerhouse programs want: The national crown. And the Hoosiers are now using their 2025 national championship win to fuel their new recruiting efforts.
The new commit Sharpe arrives as the state's No. 12 overall wide receiver and one bound to boost the slot position. He was also offered by West Virginia, Iowa State and Virginia Tech, the latter now led by former Penn State head coach James Franklin.
The 5-foot-11 Sharpe brings a state championship ring in tow to Bloomington too. He racked up 1,386 all-purpose yards with 15 touchdowns for Brownsburg High during its run to the state title.
Indiana holds a current No. 34 record on the recruiting trail per On3/Rivals. But the Hoosiers have delivered a stout portal class featuring former TCU quarterback Josh Hoover.
Lorenzo J Reyna is an Associate Editor covering the NFL and NCAA Football for ClutchPoints. He's equipped with past experience for both realms through his recent stops at Pro Football Network and Heavy while also writing for 247Sports.
