Breaking down the top impact transfers Indiana football will face in 2024

BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football was one of the busiest teams in the transfer portal for a third straight season. 

This time it was under a new staff led by Curt Cignetti, who brought in a transfer class that ranks No. 30 in the country, according to 247 Spots. There are only two teams (Colorado and Louisville) that signed more players than IU as of mid-May. 

Indiana football’s 2024 opponents might not have been as busy, but there were plenty of impact players on the move. 

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

More:Projected 2024 Indiana football offensive depth chart after spring practice

Top transfers Indiana football will face in 2024

Jahmal Banks, Wide receiver; Nebraska (Wake Forest)

Banks is an NFL-sized receiver at 6-foot-4, 205-pounds and a scary deep threat. Last year, he caught 15 passes of 20-yards or more through the air for 449 yards with four touchdowns. In 2022, he tied for the 13th most contested catches (14) in the FBS and his average depth of target was 16.0 yards. Banks could help ignite a dormant Nebraska passing offense that ranked No. 129 out of 133 FBS teams last season. 

Jaishawn Barham, Linebacker; Michigan (Maryland)

Barham is a well-built versatile outside linebacker equally capable of blowing up the line of scrimmage off the edge as he is dropping back in coverage. He also has plenty of experience with 23 career starts while earning All-Big Ten honors each of the last two seasons. Barham was the new Michigan staff’s top-rated transfer signee and could be an impact defender for the Wolverines this fall. 

Aidan Chiles, Quarterback; Michigan State (Oregon State)

Chiles is the most unproven player on the list, but he might have the highest ceiling. He was the No. 58 ranked recruit in the 2023 signing class (No. 7 quarterback) as a four-star prospect 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 having a winning program. 

Caleb Downs, Safety; Ohio State (Alabama)

Downs was the highest rated transfer in the country, according to 247 Sports rankings. He was a rare freshman starter for Nick Saban in his final year at Alabama. According to Pro Football Focus, he had a 85.4 overall ranking last season playing 768 defensive snaps. He had a team-high 107 tackles (70 solo) with two interceptions, four pass breakups and a forced fumble. He’s going to move around all-around the back end of the OSU defense — his position coach is former IU defensive coordinator Matt Guerrieri — and he can create havoc with his elite skill set. 

More:Projected 2024 Indiana football defensive depth chart after spring practice

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

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

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-headed combo in the backfield alongside Treveyon Henderson, who elected not to enter the 2024 NFL Draft. Judkins has put up 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 well-rounded back 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 kind of transfer addition Curt Cignetti prioritized when he landed the Indiana job — a guy with multiple years of experience playing at a high level. The 5-foot-11, 212-pounder has put up 180 tackles (99 solo) over the last two seasons with eight tackles for a loss and 23 quarterback pressures. According to Pro Football Focus, he only missed 14 tackles during that stretch. He joins one of the few positions where Washington is returning experience and could make a formidable pairing alongside Alphonso Tuputala and Carson Bruener.

Will Rodgers, Quarterback; Washington (Mississippi State)

One of the more experienced starters IU will face in 2024 kept his commitment to Washington even after Kalen Deboer left for Alabama. This is a quarterback with 40 career starts under his belt with 12,000-plus career yards and 96 touchdowns. The Huskies overall talent level took a significant hit after reaching the national title game, but Rodgers gives new coach Jedd Fisch’s dynamic pro-style offense. Arizona averaged 34.6 points per game (tied for No. 18 in the FBS) and 448.0 yards per game (No. 20) last year with the eighth ranked passing offense. 

Sebastian Valdez, Defensive tackle; Washington (Montana State)

Valdez was one of the top-rated defensive tackles in the transfer portal. It will be an adjustment jumping up a level, but he’s got the strength — he can bench 405 pounds — to match up with anyone. His consistent production over the last three seasons is a good sign as well. He’s put 92 quarterback pressures, 24 tackles for loss and 16 sacks. Valdez is effective against the run as well as a traditional three-technique in a four-man front. 

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

Jonathan Smith brought his top tight end with him from Corvallis to the Big Ten. It was a no-brainer move considering Velling established himself as one of the more sure-handed tight ends in college football last season. He set a OSU season-record for a tight end with eight touchdowns (tied for the most by any tight end in the FBS). He’s capable of moving all over the line and 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 and read all his coverage by clicking here.