‘Huge for them in terms of their development’: Significant number of Indiana football early enrollees off to a head start on their collegiate careers

A handful of the future faces of the Indiana football program are at an advantage in their college football careers.

Curt Cignetti and Indiana football landed the commitments of 23 high school football players from the class of 2025. Out of the 23 commitments, 14 of them became early enrollees at Indiana University for the current spring semester. The nine commits that aren’t early enrollees have already signed their letter of intent with the team.

Cignetti explained the significance the early enrollees have by joining the football program a semester early.

“I think the big advantage there is, number one, academically, they get to go through a semester without the pressure of being in season,” Cignetti said regarding the newest freshman. “Being in the strength and conditioning program in the winter is huge for them in terms of their development.”

In addition to putting the freshman thru classwork and Indiana’s strength and conditioning program, they all have the opportunity to be active participants in Indiana’s spring ball.

Following the conclusion of spring ball, the group of freshman will continue to get work in over the summer.

“They go through the summer conditioning program and weight room again and then get to fall camp, they’re a lot further ahead,” Cignetti said on the training plan for the early enrollees. “So if a guy shows the ability and the potential to help your football team, he’s much further ahead and better off having gone through spring football.”

According to 247Sports, Indiana’s 2025 recruiting class ranks 47th overall, having one four-star player and 22 three-star players. Cignetti was able to make a significant improvement from last year’s recruiting, where Indiana’s recruiting class had ranked 65th overall, with one four-star player and 15 three-star players.

Indiana’s lone four-star in the class is safety Byron Baldwin Jr., who ranked in at the #21 recruit in his position group while being placed as the #11 recruit in the state of Maryland.

With over 60% of Indiana’s class of 2025 commitments already on campus, Cignetti and his staff will spend the next several months developing the upcoming talent of the team.

Indiana football will continue to prepare for the team’s spring game, which is open to the public on April 17.

SEE ALSO: 5 storylines to follow for IU football as spring practice gets underway

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