Indiana, Curt Cignetti beat out Penn State for 4-star RB

Indiana football is ramping up its College Football Recruiting efforts to start the summer months. The Hoosiers already beat Big Ten rival UCLA for prized safety Brady Scott. Now head coach Curt Cignetti and company just beat out Penn State for four-star running back Da’Jon Talley-Rhodes.

The Washington D.C. talent from St. John’s College shut his recruitment down via a livestream feed Wednesday. He pulled out a Hoosiers shirt to commemorate his decision. Rhodes added how Indiana is getting “a dog” in the backfield.

The defending national champs land D.C’s top-ranked prospect for the 2027 class per 247Sports. He felt a family vibe when he visited Bloomington, hence why he chose IU. But he shared via Brian Dohn of 247 what else he loved about IU.

“I see they are a run-first offense, I see that they have a good system set up where everybody can win. It really fits how I am as a back,” he explained. “I feel like I am a true running back.”

He added that the Hoosiers’ system “expects me to be able to pass block, run and be able to catch. That’s what I feel like I specialize in the most.” But adds how he likes the grit approach IU builds as they seek “tough guys who want to do their jobs.”

Penn State isn’t the only Big Ten rival Indiana beats here. Wisconsin landed in the mix, along with Washington and Michigan State. Even Atlantic Coast Conference representative Boston College fell into his final cut.

Indiana has now reeled in three prospects in less than three weeks. Three-star wide receiver Branden Sharpe helped launch the recruiting surge on May 18.

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