Indiana’s Cornerback Clash: Which Hoosier Will Dominate the Depth Chart?

Baldwin will likely get similar opportunities during Indiana’s non-conference schedule after impressing the coaches as an early enrollee in a safety room that isn’t exactly flush with depth. 

• Indiana football defensive back D’Angelo Ponds has one starting spot at corner locked up, but the other will be up for grabs during fall camp.
• The Hoosiers fought off Colorado to land 4-star safety Byron Baldwin Jr., who could see early playing time this fall.
• Indiana landed sixth-year transfers Louis Moore and Devan Boykin to shore up its depth at safety alongside returning starter Amare Ferrell.

RoverHardy was part of a 2024 signing class that featured a handful of contributors on special teams, but he was the only one to break through and get meaningful reps on either side of the ball. He earned a larger role by making impact plays that helped the Hoosiers close out a series of blowout wins early in the year. 

Meet Indiana football’s secondary

Safeties

• Returning: D’Angelo Ponds (Jr); Jamari Sharpe (R-Jr); Amariyun Knighten (R-Jr)
• Transfers: Ryland Gandy (R-So); Dontrae Henderson (R-Fr) 
• Early enrollees: Jaylen Bell; Seaonta Stewart; Zacharey Smith
• Fall enrollees: N/A

One of IU’s most intriguing position battles this fall is between Jamari Sharpe and Ryland Gandy at corner. The winner gets a spot in the starting lineup alongside D’Angelo Ponds, a former freshman standout at JMU who didn’t have any issues adjusting to competition in the Big Ten last season. 

• Returning: Bryson Bonds (R-Sr); Devan Boykin (R-Sr); Amare Ferrell (Jr); Jah Jah Boyd (R-Fr) 
• Transfers: Louis Moore (R-Sr)
• Early enrollees: Byron Baldwin Jr. 
• Fall enrollees: Garrett Reese

Indiana football’s cornerback position battle is one to watch 

Cornerbacks

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.Safety 

Baldwin could follow in Rolijah Hardy’s footsteps as IU’s next true freshman standout on defense. Indiana hit the reset button in the secondary midway through the 2024 season with Amare Ferrell moving from rover to safety and Terry Jones Jr. jumping into the starting lineup at his former position. 

Cignetti’s staff made Baldwin a top priority on the recruiting trail and fought off stiff competition from Colorado to land him. He was the highest-ranked recruit in IU’s class (No. 258 nationally, per 247 Sports composite rankings) and only one with a 4-star ranking. The coaching staff praised the group’s improved communication while defensive coordinator Bryant Haines leaned into Ferrell’s playmaking skills and physicality. 

Byron Baldwin Jr. is the top breakout candidate from IU’s 2025 signing class

Ferrell provides Indiana continuity at the position as the lone holdover from the starting group that features a mix of veterans — IU signed sixth-year transfers Louis Moore (Ole Miss) and Devan Boykin (NC State) while Bryson Bonds is one of the longest tenured members of the team — and youngsters like Baldwin. July 30 marks the kickoff for Indiana football’s fall camp, and let me tell you, the buzz around Bloomington is thick with anticipation. Coach Curt Cignetti and his squad are riding the momentum of a landmark College Football Playoff run, eager to capitalize on the foundation they meticulously laid last season. This year’s roster shuffle — a cocktail of strategic transfers and homegrown talent — is primed to redefine the Hoosiers’ secondary. One spot at cornerback is secure, but the other? It’s wide open, promising a fierce battle come fall practice. Meanwhile, securing 4-star safety Byron Baldwin Jr. against stiff competition, along with adding seasoned transfers like Louis Moore and Devan Boykin, signals a thoughtful approach to bolstering depth and experience in the defensive backfield. What really intrigues me is how these pieces will gel on the field — will the veterans’ grit blend seamlessly with the fresh legs and raw potential? This secondary preview isn’t just a roster rundown; it’s a glimpse into Indiana’s defensive ambitions for a season packed with possibility. LEARN MORE

Tackling was Gandy’s biggest issue last season with Pro Football Focus crediting him with 14 missed tackles and that contributed to notable struggles in games against West Virginia and Louisville. CornerbackHe was part of a three-man starting rotation at corner as a redshirt freshman for the Hoosiers in 2023. Last fall, he was their top reserve at the position and came through at various points in the season when Ponds (targeting) and Jamier Johnson (undisclosed injury) were sidelined. 

Will Indiana’s starting trio at safety in Week 1 stay the course? 

Sharpe is one of the few defenders left from the Tom Allen-era in line for a prominent role on the team, but Gandy is an intriguing talent. The Hoosiers were once again active participants in the transfer portal, but they also retained many of the key faces behind last year’s success. We’re taking a position-by-position look at their roster this week that continues with a breakdown of the team’s secondary.

Can he overcome the issue in time to land a starting role? Or will he need some additional practice time to sand off some of those rough edges to his game?“He flies around, got a lot of talent, likes contact, good ball skills,” Cignetti said, after the spring game.It’s a position where actual game film might ultimately determine where everyone fits best and who gets the most reps. 

Predicted depth chart for Indiana football’s secondary

The redshirt sophomore won three state titles while playing for Buford High School, a known powerhouse, and ran track at the school. He ended up at Pitt where he landed the starting job last season for a coach (Pat Narduzzi) who runs an aggressive scheme aimed at stopping the run that more often than not leaves the cornerbacks to fend for themselves. 

• First Team: D’Angelo Ponds, Ryland Gandy
• Second Team: Amariyun Knighten, Jamari Sharpe

BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football opens fall camp on July 30 as Curt Cignetti and crew look to build on the foundation they laid with an historic run to the College Football Playoffs. 

• First Team: Amare Ferrell, Louis Moore 
• Second Team: Bryon Baldwin, Bryson Bonds

Sharpe heads into fall camp with at least a slight advantage in the competition after getting the starting nod with the first-team defense in Indiana’s spring game. 

• First Team: Devan Boykin
• Second Team: Bryson Bonds 

Indiana football position preview roundup

The transfers aren’t lacking experience, but Boykin hasn’t played in a game since tearing his ACL in the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl. That adds another layer of uncertainty as the Hoosiers try to find the right mix.