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Who are the top transfers facing Indiana football in 2024?

BLOOMINGTON – Indiana football was one of the busiest teams in the transfer portal for the third straight year.

This time it was under a new team led by Curt Cignetti, who brought in a transfer class that ranks 30th in the country according to 247 spots. There are only two teams (Colorado and Louisville) that have signed more players than IU through mid-May.

The 2024 Indiana Football opponents may not have been as busy, but there were plenty of impact players in rotation.

Here is a list of the top transfers the Hoosiers will face this fall during the 2024 season (in alphabetical order):

More: Indiana football's 2024 projected offensive depth chart after spring training

Indiana football's top transfers in 2024

Jahmal Banks, wide receiver; Nebraska (Wake Forest)

Banks is an NFL-sized receiver at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds and a fearsome threat. Last year, he caught 15 passes of 20 yards or more through the air for 449 yards with four touchdowns. In 2022, he ranked 13th with the most contested catches (14) in the FBS and his average depth of target was 16.0 yards. Banks could help spark a dormant Nebraska passing offense that ranked 129th out of 133 FBS teams last season.

Jaishawn Barham, linebacker; Michigan (Maryland)

Barham is a well-built, versatile fullback who is equally capable of blasting the line of scrimmage from the edge when dropping back into coverage. He also has plenty of experience with 23 career starts and was named All-Big Ten each of the last two seasons. Barham was the new Michigan team's top-rated transfer receiver and could be a key defender for the Wolverines this fall.

Aidan Chiles, quarterback; Michigan State (Oregon State)

Chiles is the least experienced player on the roster, but he might have the highest ceiling. A four-star prospect, he was the No. 58 recruit in the 2023 signing class (No. 7 quarterback) and showed promise last year, appearing in nine games. He threw for 309 yards (68.6%) with four touchdowns and no interceptions. The true dual-threat quarterback could put Michigan State on the fast track back to a winning program.

Caleb Downs, security; Ohio State (Alabama)

According to 247 Sports rankings, Downs was the highest-rated transfer in the country. He was a rare rookie for Nick Saban in his final year at Alabama. According to Pro Football Focus, he posted an 85.4 overall rating in 768 defensive snaps last season. He had a team-high 107 tackles (70 solo) with two interceptions, four pass breakups and a forced fumble. He'll move all around the back of the OSU defense – his position coach is former IU defensive coordinator Matt Guerrieri – and he can wreak havoc with his elite skillset.

More: Indiana football's projected 2024 defensive depth chart following spring training

Rico Flores Jr., wide receiver; UCLA (Notre Dame)

Flores showed promise as a true freshman for Notre Dame with 27 catches for 392 yards and a touchdown. A 2-yard score from Sam Hartman in the fourth quarter helped his team to a near upset over Ohio State. The former four-star recruit returned to the West Coast where he hoped to play for Chip Kelly. He stayed up after Kelly's departure, giving the Bruins a potential No. 1 receiver. The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder will pose an early test for the IU secondary.

Quinshon Judkins, running back; Ohio State (Ole Miss)

Judkins was the highest-rated running back to enter the transfer portal in 2024. He gives OSU a monster two-head combo in the backfield alongside Treveyon Henderson, who has decided not to enter the 2024 NFL Draft. Judkins has posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and scored 31 career rushing touchdowns. In 2023, he averaged 3.4 yards after contact, forced 69 missed tackles (sixth in the country) and had 33 runs of 10 yards or more (tied for 20th in the country). Judkins is a versatile defender who fights for tough yards. He will be a real challenge for IU's retooled defensive front seven.

Bryun Parham, linebacker, Washington (San Jose State)

Parham is the type of transfer addition that Curt Cignetti prioritized when he got the Indiana job – a guy with several years of high-level experience. The 5-foot-11, 212-pound player has recorded 180 tackles (99 solo) over the last two seasons, including eight tackles for a loss and 23 quarterback pressures. According to Pro Football Focus, he only missed 14 tackles during that time. He joins one of the few positions where Washington returns experience and could form a formidable pair alongside Alphonso Tuputala and Carson Bruener.

Will Rodgers, quarterback; Washington (State of Mississippi)

One of the more experienced starters IU will face in 2024 maintained his commitment to Washington even after Kalen Deboer left for Alabama. This is a quarterback with 40 career starts, more than 12,000 yards and 96 touchdowns. The Huskies' overall talent level took a significant hit after reaching the national championship game, but Rodgers gives new coach Jedd Fisch a dynamic, pro-style offense. Arizona averaged 34.6 points per game (tied for 18th in the FBS) and 448.0 yards per game (20th) last year and ranked eighth in the passing game.

Sebastian Valdez, defensive tackle; Washington (Montana state)

Valdez was one of the highest-rated defensive tackles in the transfer portal. It will be an adjustment jumping up a level, but he has the strength — he can bench 405 pounds — to keep up with anyone. His consistent performance over the last three seasons is also a good sign. He recorded 92 quarterback pressures, 24 tackles for loss and 16 sacks. Valdez is effective both against the run and against a traditional three-man technique in a four-man front.

Jack Velling, tight end; Michigan State (Oregon State)

Jonathan Smith brought his top tight end from Corvallis to the Big Ten. That was a given considering Velling established himself as one of the safest tight ends in college football last season. He set an OSU single-season record for a tight end with eight touchdowns (tied for the most touchdowns of any tight end in the FBS). Capable of moving across the line, he should be a top pass-catching option for a Michigan State team in the midst of a rebuild.

Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek Click here to read all of his coverage.

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