Hoosiers Now

Northern Illinois Transfer Amariyun Knighten Commits to Indiana

After three seasons at Northern Illinois, cornerback Amariyun Knighten announced he will transfer to Indiana.

Jack Ankony

Northern Illinois cornerback transfer Amariyun Knighten committed to Indiana.
Northern Illinois cornerback transfer Amariyun Knighten committed to Indiana. / photo via niuhuskies.com
In this story:

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana has added to its cornerback room with a commitment from Northern Illinois transfer Amariyun Knighten.

"Let’s do it Bloomington new Hoosier on the block !!" Knighted posted on X.

Knighten is a 6-foot, 174-pound cornerback who spent the last three seasons at Northern Illinois. In 2024, he played in eight games and made 13 tackles, four passes defended and one interception. He made 17 tackles in 13 games in 2023, and appeared in four games while maintaining his redshirt in 2022.

Among Northern Illinois players with at least 200 snaps, Knighten ranked sixth in Pro Football Focus' grade for defense (72.6), ninth in run defense (70.6), third in tackling (85.0) and fifth in coverage (71.9). He joins the Hoosiers with two years of eligibility.

Prior to college, Knighten was an All-County, All-Region and All-State player at Stranahan High School in Hollywood, Fla.

It remains to be seen what Indiana's cornerback room will look like for the 2025 season, but starters D'Angelo Ponds and Jamier Johnson, plus reserves like Jamari Sharpe and JoJo Johnson, all have remaining eligibility.

Related stories on Indiana football

  • HOSEA WHEELER COMMITS TO IU: Indiana picked up a commitment from defensive lineman Hosea Wheeler, a transfer from Western Kentucky who made the first-team All-Conference USA in 2024. CLICK HERE
  • WHAT SHANAHAN SAID: Indiana offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan spoke to local media on Monday at Memorial Stadium before the Hoosiers' College Football Playoff game at Notre Dame. Here's the full transcript. CLICK HERE
  • WHAT HAINES SAID: Here's the full transcript of Indiana defensive coordinator Bryant Haines' press conference ahead of the Hoosiers' College Football Playoff game at Notre Dame. CLICK HERE
  • WHAT CIGNETTI SAID: Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti spoke to the media on Monday as Indiana prepares to play Notre Dame in a College Football Playoff game on Monday. CLICK HERE
  • SOUTH BEND FORECAST: Temperatures are expected to be in the 20s. Snow is not in the forecast presently, but lake effect snow is always possible in South Bend. CLICK HERE
  • CONTAINING LEONARD: Quarterback Riley Leonard is an important part of Notre Dame’s running attack. Indiana intends to be physical in an effort to stop him. CLICK HERE
Published
Jack Ankony
JACK ANKONY

Jack Ankony is a Sports Illustrated/FanNation writer for HoosiersNow.com. He graduated from Indiana University's Media School with a degree in journalism. Follow on Twitter @ankony_jack.

Home/Football