Indiana Football 2024 Recruiting Class: Getting to know the offensive signees

Indiana football signed 33 players in the 2024 recruiting class last week — both through the transfer portal and high school. 17 players came through the transfer portal — including 10 from James Madison.

In total, there will be 23 players that will be mid-year enrollees, including 13 offensive players.

Below is a breakdown of the 20 offensive players Indiana football added during the early signing period.

Quarterback (3)

Kurtis Rourke (QB • 6-5 • 230)

Rourke is a transfer from Ohio who has appeared in 36 career games with 33 starts over five seasons. He was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Year and first-team All-MAC as a junior in 2022, throwing 3,257 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and four interceptions before an ACL injury ended his season. He started 11 games in 2023, throwing 2,207 yards with 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. In three seasons as a starter, he totaled 795 rushing yards with 11 touchdowns on the ground.

For his career, he has totaled 7,651 passing yards and accounted for 61 touchdowns (50 passing, 11 rushing). He has completed 66.3 percent of his passes. In three seasons as a starter, he totaled 795 rushing yards.

More: ‘They are winners’: New Indiana football QB commit Kurtis Rourke makes call for Hoosiers

Tyler Cherry (QB • 6-5 • 205)

Cherry is a four-star quarterback signee from Center Grove (Ind.). He is the second-highest rated signee at the quarterback position in the rankings era (Donaven McCulley). He is a consensus top-22 quarterback across all major recruiting sites.

Cherry threw for 3,156 yards with 34 touchdowns and six interceptions with a completion percentage of 71.5 as a senior this season. As a junior, Cherry led the Trojans to a State Championship, while throwing for 2,629 yards with 22 touchdowns and only five interceptions. He completed 65.1 percent of his passes.

He posted a 23-4 record in two seasons as the starting quarterback and accounted for 64 career touchdowns. He has thrown for 5,461 yards in his career with a 68.5 percent completion rate.

Cherry was originally committed to Duke before the coaching change when Mike Elko went to Texas A&M. Indiana football beat out Michigan State after he re-opened his recruitment.

Related: Indiana football 4-star signee Tyler Cherry ‘most slept on’ QB in 2024 class

Alberto Mendoza (QB • 6-2 • 190)

Mendoza was a former James Madison commit who followed Curt Cignetti to Indiana. Mendoza is a three-star prospect. He is a two-time Class 4 Florida Player of the Year and finished with a 26-2 record at Christopher Columbus (Fla.). He has won back-to-back State Championships.

As a senior, Mendoza threw for 1,950 yards with 22 touchdowns and five interceptions. As a junior he had 2,470 yards and 34 touchdowns. He has 526 yards on the ground in the past two seasons as well.

Running Back (4)

Justice Ellison (RB • 5-10 • 210)

Ellison comes to Indiana after 43 games and 20 starts over four seasons at Wake Forest (2020-23). He had 10 starts in 2023, finishing with 548 yards on 120 attempts and one touchdown.  His best year was in 2022 when he had 699 yards on 170 carries and six touchdowns. He was an All-ACC Third-Team selection then. For his career, Ellison has 427 carries for 1,909 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Last season, Ellison’s best game was against Georgia Tech, finishing with 137 yards on 18 carries. Other notable performances were 10 carries for 77 yards against Florida State and 15 carries for 63 yards against Notre Dame. He had five games with at least 60 yards

Kaelon Black (RB • 5-10 • 210)

Black was one of seven signees from JMU following its bowl game over the weekend. Black appeared in 27 games with 16 starts in four years with James Madison. He rushed for 637 yards and one touchdown on 142 carries in 2023. He also added 254 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 24 receptions.

This season he had nine games with at least 10 carries. Of those nine games, he has at six games with at least four yards per carry.

Black also had five games with at least three receptions and four games with at least 35 receiving yards.

Ty Son Lawton (RB • 5-10 • 210)

Another part of the backfield for James Madison is Ty Son Lawton. Lawton has 22 starts in 39 appearances between JMU and Stony Brook. He has rushed for 2,660 yards on 583 carries and 26 touchdowns in his career.

Last season, Lawton had 568 yards and five rushing touchdowns on 126 carries. He also had 19 receptions for 174 yards and one receiving touchdown. He had five games with at least 50 rushing yards and seven games with at least 10 carries.

His top two games were an eight-carry for 79 -yard and two-touchdown outing against Virginia — in a win — and then 18 carries for 95 yards and six receptions for 57 yards and a touchdown against Georgia State.

Khobie Martin (RB • 6-0 • 205)

Martin is a three-star running back from Fishers (Ind.) who committed to Indiana under the previous staff and had his commitment honored with the new staff. He was originally committed to Miami (Oh.) before committing to Indiana.

Martin rushed for 2,746 yards and 38 touchdowns in three years at Fishers. He had 1,379 and 19 touchdowns in nine games as a senior. As a junior he had 1,194 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Wide Receiver (4)

Myles Price (WR • 5-10 • 190)

Myles Price is a veteran wideout from Texas Tech who has 25 starts across 42 games in four years. He is a two-time Honorable Mention All-Big 12 player who has 2,521 all-purpose yards in his career.

Price appeared in 10 games last season and earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention. He led the team in receptions with 42 and touchdowns at five. He finished with 410 yards. He opened up the season with a touchdown in his first four games. He later had a 10-reception, 90-yard performance against Baylor. He had seven games with at least four receptions.

His best yardage season was in 2022 when he caught 38 passes for 523 yards and two touchdowns. He had 13 receptions for 98 yards against No. 22 Texas.

As a sophomore, Price emerged as a real go-to threat for the Red Raiders. He had 35 catches for 451 yards and two touchdowns. His best performance that season — and his career — was a nine-reception for 175-yard and one-touchdown outing against Iowa State.

In two career bowl appearances, he has six catches for 107 yards.

Miles Cross (WR • 6-1 • 215)

Cross committed to Indiana after a successful season at Ohio where he had 105 receptions for 1,301 yards and eight touchdowns across 37 games.

Over the past two years — when Rourke won MAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2022 and in 2023 — Cross totaled 94 passes for 1,177 yards. He caught 47 passes for 617 yards and five touchdowns this season, catching 59.5 percent of the passes thrown to him. He was second on the team in both receptions and receiving yards and first in receiving touchdowns.

In 2022, Cross also caught 47 passes for 521 yards and three touchdowns. He caught 69.1 percent of the passes in his direction. He was second in receptions and fourth in receiving yards.

He has three 100+ yard receiving games over the past two seasons.

Ke’Shawn Williams (WR • 5-11 • 190)

Williams is a fifth-year senior who played 46 games for Wake Forest. He caught 107 passes for 1,385 yards and five touchdowns during his time with the Demon Deacons.

This season, Williams had 384 yards on 38 receptions and one touchdown. His best game came in against Vanderbilt when he caught five passes for 92 yards and a touchdown. He also returned eight kickoffs for 187 yards this year.

In 2022, Williams had 553 yards on 39 receptions and one touchdown. He had five receptions for 129 yards against Liberty.

He has 11 games with at least four receptions over the last three years.

Charlie Becker (WR • 6-4 • 200)

Becker is another member of the Indiana football 2024 class that committed to IU under the previous staff. Becker is a three-star wide receiver from Father Ryan (Tn.).

Becker was a Division II 3A West Region Offensive MVP this past season. He was also a First-Team selection in both of the past two seasons.

He also won the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association Division II state title in the 110-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles and 4×400-meter relay as a junior.

Tight End (2)

Zach Horton (TE • 6-4 • 250)

Horton is another JMU transfer who was very productive in two years with the Dukes. He has 11 starts in 23 career games. In 2023, Horton had 275 yards on 27 catches with six touchdowns (fifth nationally among tight ends).

Horton was a First-Team All-Sun Belt selection for his junior season. He had two multi-touchdown games and seven games with at least two receptions.

In 2022, Horton had 13 receptions for 159 yards and two touchdowns.

Brody Kosin (TE • 6-6 • 235)

Kosin is a three-star prospect who committed to Indiana football under the previous staff.

In 2023, Kosin had 42 catches for 876 yards and 10 touchdowns en route to an All-State selection. H had 17 receptions for 250 yards and five touchdowns in 2022 as a junior.

Offensive Line (7)

Tyler Stephens (OL • 6-5 • 305)

Stephens transferred to Indiana from James Madison where he had 31 starts in 36 career games. He has starts at left tackle (12), left guard (13) and right tackle (6) in his career.

This year he was a Second-Team All-Sun Belt selection after starting all 13 games. He helped the James Madison offense rank among the top 30 in the FBS regular season in passing touchdowns (No. 7; 33), completion percentage (No. 14; .678), passing yards (No. 18; 287.1), passing efficiency (No. 10; 163.62), time of possession (No. 19; 31:58) and total offense (No. 29; 430.2).

Nick Kidwell (OL • 6-5 • 315)

Kidwell is another James Madison transfer and has 52 appearances and 34 starts under his belt. After starting the first four games in 2023, he suffered a season-ending injury.

Kidwell’s last 34 appearances have all been starts and he was a Second-Team All-Sun Belt performer in 2022 and First-team All-CAA selection in 2021.

Trey Wedig (OL • 6-7 • 320)

Wedig transferred to Indiana football following four years at Wisconsin.

Wedig has eight starts across four seasons and 35 total appearances with the Badgers. He had 12 appearances in 2023.

Adedamola Ajani (OL • 6-4• 285)

Ajani is a three-star offensive lineman prospect who is a top-55 lineman by ESPN and 247Sports.

As a senior, Ajani was an Indianapolis Star Central Indiana Super Team selection after helping Speedway (Ind.) to 318 yards per game and 31 total touchdowns.

He also played on defense, totaling a team-best 19 tackles for loss and six sacks.

Evan Lawrence (OL • 6-6 • 270)

Lawrence is a three-star prospect who is a top-20 player in Indiana among all major recruiting sites. He was named an Indiana Football Coaches Association All-State as a senior and tabbed
to the Indianapolis Star Central Indiana Super Team.

Austin Leibfried (OL • 6-6 • 275)

Leibfried is a three-star prospect from Mount Horeb (Wisc.). He is a top-20 prospect in the state of Wisconsin by ESPN.

He was selected Associated Press high honorable mention All-State his final season as he helped guide the team to three-straight Badger Conference Titles.

For his career, he was a two-time Wisconsin Football Coaches Association all-region selection. He was named the Badger Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year as a senior and also earned first-team All-Badger Conference honors in each of his final two years.

Mitch Verstegen (OL • 6-4 • 300)

Verstegen is another three-star prospect and rated a top-20 prospect in Wisconsin by every major recruiting service. He was named first-team Wisconsin Football Coaches Association All-
State as a senior and WFCA All-Region as a junior .

In 2023, Verstegen also earned Fox Valley Association Offensive Lineman of the Year.

Overall, he was a two-time unanimous first-team All-Fox Valley Association selection.

SEE ALSO: ‘We’re bringing a bunch of really good football players’: Curt Cignetti details Indiana football recruiting class after ‘whirlwind’ of first 20 days

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