Top 100 Northern Indiana 2028 Recruits

The 2028 class is incredibly talented, and today, we're taking a look at a group of recruits who are ranked in the top 100 from the northern portion of the state.    Martin is an elite athlete with good fundamentals and a smooth backpedal. He's got elite speed and acceleration. He's always right in phase with his guy and has closing speed to eliminate the space with the ball in the air. He's got a good natural feel in both zone and man coverages. He can change direction and flip his hips with ease. He makes a lot of things look easy on the field with how he plays and with his instincts. In year 2 he put up 34 tackles, 11 PBUs, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery. His recruitment has recently taken off as he now holds offers from Auburn, San Diego State, and Alabama State.     Shie had a great sophomore year and has a bright future on the backend. He's rangy and has good closing speed. He's well-balanced and comes up to play the run with confidence. He'll try punching the ball out from the ball carrier and has success with it. His ball skills are good, and his arm length helps bat balls down. He has elite recovery speed and won't get burned over the top. His ability to run is something that helps him every snap. His 58 total tackles, 2 interceptions, 7 PBUs, and 2 forced fumbles were good starting points and are things he can build off of next year.     Taylor is one of the most naturally talented players in the entire class. He's got that special "it" factor with the ball in his hands. He missed his sophomore year with an injury, but his recovery has gone well, and he should be back in action this fall. His burst and cutting abilities are rare, and he's a good receiver out of the backfield. He has all the traits to develop into a perennial all-purpose back that offenses build around. I'm looking forward to seeing him back on the field this fall, because Indiana football is more entertaining wth him on the field.     Hayworth stepped up for Concordia Lutheran and has a good feel for what he's supposed to do on the field. He's got a good first step and has strong hands right at the point of attack. His handplacement is good, and he's able to swipe away offensive linemen's hands. He's got the ability to come off the edge, but I like his physical play on the interior. He's willing to plug gaps in the running game regularly and can reach across gaps with 1 arm to slow down and stop the ball carrier. His 50 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, 3 sacks, 2 PBUs, and 1 forced fumble proved valuable for the defense and will be a focal point next fall.     Elliot is a fast-rising inside receiver who checks quite a few boxes already. He's coming off of a massive year where he immediately became the focal point of the passing offense. He's quick and shifty. He's consistently able to create space and find open throwing lanes. He's then good with the ball in his hands. He's able to make guys miss, can hurdle defenders, find lanes, and take it to the house. He's not afraid to go over the middle and will lay it all on the line for his guys. With 89 receptions and 876 receiving yards, which both led the 2028 receiving class, you can see why he's starting to garner interest.     Underwood is an instinctive and aggressive DB who trusts what he sees and is a fairly scrappy player. He takes calculated risks and often times makes the right call. His timing in playing the ball is good, and he doesn't get there too early. He consistently seems to find his way near the ball, and even if he's not the one who makes the play, he's in frame. His hustle and sense of urgency are something I appreciate. He finished the year with 66 tackles, 8 TFLs, 3 sacks, 1 interception, 2 passes deflected, and recovered 2 different fumbles.     Tomlinson is someone I was excited about heading into the season because of his raw potential and upside I saw from a camp, and he put it all together as a sophomore. He plays with a good base and base width. His legs are always chopping and driving out. He's a force in the running game and can win straight off the line. He's got great natural core strength, and as he continues developing and filling out his frame, he'll become a more dominant force upfront. He started every game for North Side and is set to be a leader of the line as a junior.     Crandall is a versatile 2-way player who got some work as a freshman and then took a big jump as a sophomore on both sides of the ball. Offensively, he's a 1-cut runner with good speed. He's got good contact balance and fights through contact for extra yardage. He's got decent vision, and his feet are fast enough to follow. He averaged over 7 yards per carry while putting up 872 yards and 15 TDs. He's got good hands, but is in an offense that doesn't spread the ball out much. Year 3 will likely see him fully taking on the lead back role, and I think he's ready for it.     Baumgartner is an aggressive LB who has good vision and can cut through lanes to get to the ball carrier. He's got quick feet for a guy his size and can come to balance and change direction fairly well. He's got the size to play in the middle and withstand the bigger hits. He's not afraid of contact and won't shy away from being 1 on 1 in the hole with a ball carrier. He'll attack the outside hip and wrap up. He had a productive season in year 2, putting up 73 tackles, 3 TFLs, 2 fumble recoveries, and 1 forced fumble.

The 2028 class is incredibly talented, and today, we're taking a look at a group of recruits who are ranked in the top 100 from the northern portion of the state.