Hoosiers Now

Introducing Indiana Football's 2021 Class

Indiana has the No. 58-ranked 2021 recruiting class in the nation and 12th in the Big Ten.

Dylan Wallace

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Wednesday marked signing day for Indiana football's 2021 class, and the Hoosiers had all 14 players make it official.

Indiana has the No. 58-ranked 2021 recruiting class in the nation and 12th in the Big Ten.

The Hoosiers have three 4-stars and nine 3-stars, and this class is filled with talent.

Below is the complete list of the newest signees for Indiana football.

  • Donaven McCulley, quarterback (4-star)
  • 6-5, 195 — Indianapolis, Ind.
  • BIO: Quarterback for head coach Patrick Mallory at Lawrence North High School... Rivals and 247Sports four-star prospect... 2020 Indiana Football Coaches Association (IFCA) Top 50 all-state selection... IFCA Mr. Football position award winner... one of three Mr. Football finalists... named to the Indiana All-USA Super Team... Marion County Player of the Year... closed his career with 6,211 passing yards, 1,274 rushing yards, 47 touchdowns and a 128.1 quarterback rating... led Lawrence North to a 7-4 record in 2020, the program's first winning season since 2005... threw for 2,576 yards with 22 TDs and completed 70.0 percent of his passes... added 506 rushing yards and a pair of scores... ranked the No. 2 prospect in Indiana by Rivals and 247Sports... rated the No. 4 dual-threat quarterback and the No. 100 prospect nationally by Rivals... three-year letterwinner... two-year basketball letterwinner... parents are Melissa and Derick McCulley... intends to study sport marketing and management... born on Jan. 15, 2003. 
  • Jaquez Smith, wide receiver (4-star)
  • 6-1, 190 — Westlake, Ga.
  • BIO: Wide receiver for head coach Bobby May at Westlake High School... ESPN and 247Sports four-star prospect... three-time Atlanta Journal Constitution Preseason All-American... named the top receiver by the TD Club of Atlanta three times... ranked the No. 18 prospect in Georgia and the No. 26 wide receiver nationally by ESPN... rated the No. 172 prospect nationally by 247Sports... four-year letterwinner... National Honor Society member... volunteered at the Cam Newton Foundation Food Drive... parents are Brittany and Marquis Smith, and Sherita Walton... Marquis served in the United States Navy as an aviation mechanic/engineer... Jaquez is the oldest of seven siblings... intends to study sport marketing and management... born on July 15, 2002.
  • Joshua Sales, offensive tackle (3-star)
  • 6-6, 285 — Brownsburg, Ind.
  • BIO: Offensive lineman for head coach John Hart at Brownsburg High School... 2020 all-state and all-conference honoree... named to the 2020 Indiana All-USA Super Team... did not allow a sack as a senior... registered 72 knockdowns in eight games... three-year letterwinner... lettered his first year at Riley High School in South Bend, Ind.... ranked the No. 11 prospect in Indiana by Rivals... rated the No. 58 offensive tackle nationally by 247Sports... also lettered in basketball, wrestling and track and field... raised by his parents Joshua Sales Sr. and Ashley Reynolds, and his grandmother Barbara Lewis... intends to study entrepreneurship and corporate innovation... born on Nov. 5, 2002.
  • Maurice Freeman, safety (3-star)
  • 6-0, 190 — Chesapeake, Va.
  • BIO: Defensive back for head coach Chris Scott at Oscar Smith High School... Oscar Smith did not play in the fall of 2020 due to COVID-19, but Oscar Smith and Freeman will play in the spring of 2021... all-region selection as a junior... carded 55 tackles, five sacks, 14 for loss, five forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, one interception and four pass breakups... program advanced to the state finals in both of his seasons... ranked the No. 33 prospect in Virginia by 247Sports... two-year letterwinner... mother is Yaketta Mcinnis... intends to study sport marketing and management... born on Jan. 8, 2002.
Content is unavailable
  • Jordan Grier, cornerback (3-star)
  • 6-0, 190 — Ellenwood, Ga.
  • BIO: Defensive back for head coach Miguel Patrick at Cedar Grove High School... also returned kicks... 2020 season shortened due to COVID-19... all-state and all-region honoree... led Cedar Grove to three state championships... recorded four pick-6s and made 56 tackles as a junior... also lettered in baseball and track and field... honor roll student... mother is LaDeidra Wallace... intends to study mechanical engineering... born on July 16, 2003.
  • Larry Smith, safety (3-star)
  • 5-10, 170 — Orange Park, Fla.
  • BIO: Defensive back for head coach Frank Garis at Oakleaf High School... Rivals four-star prospect... All-Florida defensive team honoree... Florida Super 11 selection... concluded his career with 103 tackles, 59 solo, eight interceptions, six pass breakups and two fumble recoveries... made 45 stops, three for loss, with three INTs as a senior... transferred to Oakleaf from Robert E. Lee High School (Jacksonville, Fla.) for the 2020 season... Robert E. Lee won district championships in 2017 and 2019... ranked the No. 29 cornerback nationally and the No. 47 prospect in Florida by Rivals... parents are Nadjus Turner and Larry Smith Jr.... intends to study business management... born on April 10, 2002. 
  • Trenten Howland, running back (3-star)
  • 6-2, 218 — Joliet, Ill.
  • BIO: Running back for head coach William Lech at Joliet West High School... Joliet West did not play in 2020 due to COVID-19... named the Southwest Prairie Conference Most Valuable Player as a junior... led the program to its first conference championship in 50 years... rushed for 1,401 on 178 carries (7.9 average) with 14 touchdowns... gained 301 yards and scored five times against Plainfield Central... ranked the No. 16 prospect in Illinois by ESPN... rated the No. 54 athlete nationally by 247Sports... also lettered in basketball... parents are Terry Howland and Valerie Brook... intends to study human biology... born on Aug. 11, 2003. 
  • David Holloman, running back (3-star)
  • 5-11, 200 — Auburn Hills, Mich.
  • BIO: Running back for head coach Corey Bell at Avondale High School... he only played in two games in 2020 due to COVID-19... 2019 all-conference selection and Sports Illustrated All-American candidate... as a junior, he rushed for 1,236 yards and 14 touchdowns... added a kick return and punt return TD... ran a 4.29 40-yard dash in the World Bowl Hall of Fame National Combine in Orlando... ranked the No. 26 prospect in Michigan by ESPN... three-year football letterwinner... four-year basketball and track and field letterwinner... all-state basketball selection... regional finalist for the 100m dash (twice) and 200m dash (once)... three-year basketball letterwinner... honor roll student... parents are Brenda and Willie Holloman... intends to study criminal justice... born on July 17, 2003.
  • Aaron Steinfeldt, tight end (3-star)
  • 6-5, 218 — Bloomington, Ind.
  • BIO: Tight end for head coach Scott Bless at Bloomington North High School... two-time all-state, all-area and first-team all-conference selection... Indiana Football Coaches Association Mr. Football position award winner... closed his career with 94 receptions (2nd in school history), 1,444 yards and 12 touchdowns... hauled in 31 passes for 603 yards and five scores his senior campaign... Bloomington North won its first conference championship in 2019 and its first sectional game in seven years in 2020... ranked the No. 10 prospect in Indiana and the No. 34 tight end nationally by Rivals... four-year football and baseball letterwinner... three-year basketball letterwinner... became the first Bloomington North student-athlete in 20 years to earn all-conference laurels in three sports... graduated with academic honors... honorable-mention all-state in basketball... parents are Erica and Jesse Steinfeldt... born on Jan. 27, 2003. 
  • WR Jordyn Williams (3-star)
  • 6-1, 182 —Albany, Ga.
  • BIO: Wide receiver for head coach Andre Hart at Trinity Christian School... ESPN four-star prospect... played his first three years at Westover High School in Albany, Ga., before moving to Trinity Christian in Cedar Hill, Texas, to play for Deion Sanders, who served as offensive coordinator... caught 50 passes for 1,466 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior... recorded 10 grabs for 202 yards and one TD in a nationally-televised game on ESPN against Knoxville (Tenn.) Catholic... racked up 1,278 yards on 84 catches (15.2 average) with 12 scores his junior campaign... ranked the No. 63 wide receiver nationally and the No. 65 prospect in Texas by ESPN... four-year football letterwinner... also lettered in basketball and track and field... honor roll student... Boys & Girls Club volunteer... parents are Anitra and Richard Williams... intends to study nursing... born on April 14, 2003.
  • Vinny Fiacable, offensive guard (3-star)
  • 6-4, 300 — Fort Wayne, Ind.
  • BIO: Left tackle and guard for head coach Jason Garrett at Bishop Dwenger High School... also played defensive tackle... 2020 Indiana Football Coaches Association Top 50 all-state selection... team captain... first-team all-conference selection... ranked the No. 10 prospect in Indiana and the No. 38 offensive guard nationally by ESPN... teammate of IU true freshman offensive lineman Luke Wiginton... parents are Cathy and Steve Fiacable... Steve was an IU offensive lineman (1988-91)... brother, Steve, was an IU offensive lineman (2009-10)... brother, Mike, was an IU quarterback (2015-18)... intends to study finance... born on Sept. 5, 2002.
  • James Evans, punter (3-star)
  • 6-1, 207 — Auckland, New Zealand
  • BIO: Evans has never played football or visited the United States... he was scheduled to make a trip to the U.S. in July and visit IU in December but did not due to COVID-19... trained under Nathan Chapman and John Smith at Prokick Australia, a training ground for punters and kickers in Melbourne... moved to Australia to work at Prokick in Jan. 2020... second-straight Indiana punter to arrive in Bloomington via Prokick (Haydon Whitehead)... played rugby and squash in high school... parents are Peter Evans and Clair Donnelly... born on May 17, 2001.
  • Cooper Jones, defensive end (3-star)
  • 6-6, 245 — Valparaiso, Ind.
  • BIO: Defensive lineman for head coach Bill Marshall at Valparaiso High School... Indiana Football Coaches Association (IFCA) Top 50 all-state selection as a junior and senior... 2019 and 2020 IFCA Mr. Football position award winner... team most valuable player made 190 tackles, 28 for loss, 17.5 sacks, four fumble recoveries, three blocked kicks and two defensive touchdowns in his career... posted 80 stops, 12.5 for loss, 5.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one blocked punt as a senior... team finished state runner-up in 2019 and reached the state semifinals in 2020... ranked the No. 5 prospect in Indiana by ESPN... rated the No. 21 strong-side defensive end nationally by Rivals... four-year football and basketball letterwinner... three-year academic letterwinner and 4.0 student... parents are Kassey and Eric Jones... Kassey was a pitcher for the IU softball team (1993-96)... intends to study business... born on Sept. 26, 2002. 
  • D.J. Matthews, wide receiver (transfer, 4-star)
  • 5-11, 160 — Jacksonville, Fla.
  • BIO: Wide receiver and quarterback at Trinity Christian Academy... consensus four-star prospect... recorded a 76-yard touchdown reception in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl... guided Trinity Christian to its fourth-straight state championship as a senior... posted 1,487 yards rushing, receiving and passing in addition to 19 total touchdowns... entered his final campaign with 136 receptions for 2,253 yards and 26 TDs before seeing significant time at quarterback in 2016... a Jacksonville Times-Union Super 11 selection... ranked the No. 5 wide receiver nationally and the No. 36 prospect nationally by Rivals... rated the No. 7 prospect in Florida by 247Sports... parents are Nasha Robinson and Dakari Matthews Sr.... born on Dec. 2, 1997.
  • Malachi Bennett, wide receiver (3-star)
  • 6-2, 180 — Fairfield, Ala. 
  • BIO: Played for head coach Keon Handley at Fairfield High Preparatory School… 247Sports four-star prospect… 2020 ASWA 5A first-team all-state selection and first-team all-region honoree… holds the school record for special teams touchdown returns… totaled 793 all-purpose yards his senior campaign… starred at wide receiver, running back, defensive back and punter… caught 45 passes for 821 yards (18.2 average) and nine touchdowns as a junior… returned nine kickoffs for 209 yards (23.2 average)… added three interceptions… ranked the No. 12 prospect in Alabama and the No. 46 wide receiver nationally by 247Sports… averaged 11.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists on the basketball court… parents are Eddie Holt and Shana Bennett… his uncle, Vanderbilt University Hall of Fame wide receiver Earl Bennett (2005-07), played six seasons with the Chicago Bears (2008-13)… intends to study communications and journalism… born on Dec. 10, 2002.
Content is unavailable
Published
Dylan Wallace
DYLAN WALLACE

Dylan Wallace is a reporter for Sports Illustrated Indiana. He is a 2020 graduate of Indiana University in Bloomington, and is from Crown Point, Ind.

Home/Football