The recruiting race for the Class of 2026 is already heating up — not just on the field, but in the increasingly complex ecosystem of modern college football, where NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals are reshaping how programs and players navigate early recruitment. For elite underclassmen, talent alone is no longer the only factor drawing attention; marketability, social media presence, and brand potential are now playing pivotal roles in how offers are extended and decisions are made. The top recruits in the 2026 cycle are not only physically advanced and highly skilled — they're entering high school with endorsement potential and media savviness.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest rated Class of 2026 football recruits from Indiana using data from 247Sports. Players are ranked by the 247Sports Composite ranking. Here's the players from Indiana set to dominate Saturdays (and potentially Sundays) for years to come.
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1 / 20#20. Carsen Eloms (CB)
- National rank: #1,100 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #92
- College: Wisconsin
- Offers: Wisconsin, Akron, Ball State, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan
- High school: Fishers (Fishers, IN)
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2 / 20#17 (tie). Jonas Muya (OT)
- National rank: #1,013 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #85
- College: not committed
- Offers: Minnesota, Cincinnati, Miami (OH), Purdue, Toledo
- High school: Bishop Luers (Fort Wayne, IN)
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3 / 20#17 (tie). Cameron Miller (OT)
- National rank: #1,013 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #85
- College: Kentucky
- Offers: Kentucky, Florida Atlantic, Toledo, Texas Tech, West Virginia
- High school: Morton (Hammond, IN)
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4 / 20#17 (tie). Mykul Campbell (ATH)
- National rank: #1,013 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #75
- College: not committed
- Offers: Akron, Ball State, Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Eastern Michigan
- High school: Decatur Central (Indianapolis, IN)
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5 / 20#15 (tie). Parker Elmore (TE)
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6 / 20#15 (tie). Blake Smythe (DL)
- National rank: #962 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #113
- College: Indiana
- Offers: Indiana, Ball State, Illinois, Kansas, Louisville
- High school: Franklin Community (Franklin, IN)
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7 / 20#14. Benjamin Novak (IOL)
- National rank: #923 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #74
- College: Wisconsin
- Offers: Wisconsin, Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Indiana
- High school: Andrean (Merrillville, IN)
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8 / 20#11 (tie). Isaac Nelson (S)
- National rank: #848 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #73
- College: Wake Forest
- Offers: Wake Forest, Air Force, Army, Bowling Green, Florida Atlantic
- High school: Carmel (Indianapolis, IN)
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9 / 20#11 (tie). Dane Bathurst (Edge)
- National rank: #848 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #82
- College: Duke
- Offers: Duke, Vanderbilt, Appalachian State, Boston College, Buffalo
- High school: Carmel (Carmel, IN)
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10 / 20#11 (tie). Tayshon Bardo (WR)
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11 / 20#10. James Williams Jr. (IOL)
- National rank: #815 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #64
- College: Purdue
- Offers: Purdue, Appalachian State, Kent State, Miami (OH), Northern Illinois
- High school: Lawrence Central (Indianapolis, IN)
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12 / 20#9. Brock Brownfield (IOL)
- National rank: #693 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #54
- College: Purdue
- Offers: Purdue, Ball State, Bowling Green, Indiana, Miami (OH)
- High school: New Palestine (New Palestine, IN)
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13 / 20#8. Trevor Gibbs (LB)
- National rank: #662 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #50
- College: Indiana
- Offers: Indiana, Iowa, Ball State, Boston College, Bowling Green
- High school: Crown Point (Crown Point, IN)
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14 / 20#7. Kasmir Hicks (CB)
- National rank: #555 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #43
- College: Indiana
- Offers: Indiana, Cincinnati, Ball State, Central Michigan, Eastern Kentucky
- High school: Decatur Central (Indianapolis, IN)
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16 / 20#5 (tie). Terry Walker III (QB)
- National rank: #532 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #32
- College: Duke
- Offers: Duke, Appalachian State, Ball State, Bowling Green, Coastal Carolina
- High school: Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers, IN)
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17 / 20#4. Jett Goldsberry (ATH)
- National rank: #506 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #34
- College: Ole Miss
- Offers: Ole Miss, North Carolina, Wake Forest, West Virginia, Rutgers
- High school: Heritage Hills (Lincoln City, IN)
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18 / 20#3. Aaden Aytch (Edge)
- National rank: #408 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #41
- College: Minnesota
- Offers: Minnesota, Ball State, Iowa, Kent State, Kentucky
- High school: Jefferson (Lafayette, IN)
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19 / 20#2. Tyler Ruxer (TE)
- National rank: #314 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #16
- College: Oklahoma
- Offers: Oklahoma, West Virginia, Duke, Northwestern, Air Force
- High school: Heritage Hills (Lincoln City, IN)
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20 / 20#1. Jerquaden Guilford (WR)
- National rank: #301 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #46
- College: Ohio State
- Offers: Ohio State, Ole Miss, Michigan, Purdue, Indiana
- High school: Northrop (Fort Wayne, IN)
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