IU football recruiting look-back: 2019 class had some hits, but mostly misses

BLOOMINGTON – The last class signed before his first full bowl season, Tom Allen’s 2019 haul proved fruitful for his program-building efforts.

Balancing the state, the Midwest and Florida, it flipped players from other Big Ten schools and beat out bigger programs for an All-American Bowl corner who’s gone on to become one of the best defensive players in school history. Yet not every home-run recruit became a star.

Player by player, let’s look back at how the Hoosiers’ 2019 signees fared:

(Players listed according to 247Sports Composite rank.)

Insider:Tom Allen found a winning formula once before. How does he find it again?

Sampson James, RB, Avon: A high-profile flip from Ohio State, James was a four-star recruit in 2019 who looked like the future for the Hoosiers’ backfield. He certainly played the part in his first Old Oaken Bucket game as a freshman, rushing for 118 yards and a touchdown in a win in West Lafayette. But James saw his carries diminish the next year before transferring to Purdue the following summer.

Beau Robbins, DL, Carmel: Another four-star signee in 2019, Robbins redshirted his first year and stayed behind the scenes in his second. But across the past two seasons he’s been a regular in the defensive line rotation, appearing in 20 games and starting three times in 2022. He picked up his first-career sack in the season opener against Illinois.

Cameron Williams, LB, Andrean: Williams became the rare Region recruit when he picked the Hoosiers over Purdue and others in ’19. He redshirted in 2019 and appeared in four games in 2020, before playing in all 12 in 2021. He registered one tackle on special teams in 2021 before leaving the program.

Josh Sanguinetti, S, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) University School: Like a number of players in this class, Sanguinetti started his career slowly with experienced hands in front of him. But across the past two seasons he’s become a primary piece of the Hoosiers’ safety rotation. Despite nagging injuries, across the past two seasons he’s appeared in 19 games, logging two interceptions, seven passes defensed and a fumble recovery. Sanguinetti entered the transfer portal this offseason.

Tiawan Mullen, CB, Pompano Beach (Fla.) Coconut Creek: The brother of an Army All-American, Mullen participated in the same game (now known as the All-American Bowl) after picking IU over Pitt, Nebraska and others. The wiry corner spoke of creating something where nothing had previously existed, explaining why he might have watched his brother win a national title at Clemson but ultimately chose Indiana. And Mullen achieved that, anchoring defenses that earned back-to-back January bowl appearances. Along the way, he became just the second All-American corner in school history, as well as one of the Hoosiers’ best-ever defensive playmakers. Across four seasons, Mullen posted five interceptions, 3 ½ sacks, four forced fumbles, two recovered fumbles and a remarkable 33 passes defensed. His younger brother, Trevell, just finished his freshman year in Bloomington.

Da’Shaun Brown, ATH, Racine (Wis.) St. Catherine’s: A converted quarterback, Brown redshirted the 2019 season to aid his move to receiver. He appeared in two games in 2020, before tearing his ACL in the win over Michigan. He wouldn’t play for the Hoosiers again before transferring last offseason.

D.K. Bonhomme, LB, Clearwater (Fla.) Academy International: Pursued at least in part because Indiana’s staff believed he could be the kind of flex linebacker/end that might help the Hoosiers evolve defensively, Bonhomme appeared in 19 of 21 possible games across his first two seasons. He flashed some of that playmaking potential in 2020, with a sack against Michigan and a safety forced against Maryland. But his playing time dipped in 2021, with appearances in just five games, before transferring to South Alabama to join former defensive coordinator Kane Wommack.

Matthew Bedford, OT, Cordova (Tenn.): IU fought through signing day to keep Bedford from staying in the SEC, and he’s repaid the Hoosiers’ hard work. After being thrust into significant playing time as a true freshman due to Coy Cronk’s injury in 2019, Bedford became a mainstay. He appeared in 28 games between 2019-21, most of them starts, often at tackle but sometimes flipping to guard. Bedford was meant to anchor the right end of Indiana’s offensive line this fall but suffered a torn ACL in the season opener against Illinois.

David Ellis, WR/RB, Clinton Township (Mich.) Chippewa Valley: A versatile offensive threat, Ellis flashed substantial potential from his first days in an Indiana uniform. Bad luck with injuries never seemed to let him realize it fully. After appearing in all 13 games as a true freshman, he was limited to just eight of a possible 20 over the next two before taking a medical hardship and retiring earlier this year. A weapon on special teams, Ellis finished his career with 1,054 all-purpose yards.

Larry Tracy III, DB, Decatur Central: One of four in-state players in the 2019 class, Tracy appeared in 15 games across three seasons in Bloomington, registering one solo tackle in 2021. He has since transferred to Illinois State, where he appeared in three games this fall.

Jeramy Passmore, DL, Miami Columbus: Passmore was among the five Florida-based signees in IU’s 2019 class, the state with the largest single per-player representation of the group. He redshirted in 2019 before appearing in three games and earning Academic All-Big Ten selection in 2020. Passmore transferred home to Florida International ahead of the 2021 season. He’s appeared in 22 games across the past two years with FIU.

Ivory Winters, RB, Hayti (Mo.):  A prolific high school running back, Winters never played a game at Indiana. He transferred to Southeast Missouri State in August of his freshman year, then reportedly left SEMO the next year.

Antoine Whitner, DL, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy: Whitner never made a major impression in Bloomington, redshirting in 2019 and going without any appearances across 2020 and 2021. He was not listed on IU’s roster ahead of this season.

Mike Katic, OL, Gibsonia (Pa.) Pine-Richland: Originally recruited to play center, Katic instead settled at guard, where he’s started 21 games across the past two seasons. He’s flipped to center a handful of times but primarily held down the Hoosiers’ left guard position, and figures to be a leader in that room going into 2023.

C.J. Person, DL, Montgomery (Ala.) Catholic Preparatory: After redshirting in 2019, Person appeared in all eight games in 2020 and was named IU’s defensive newcomer of the year. He appeared in nine more games in 2021 before transferring to South Alabama.

Jordan Jakes, WR, Baltimore St. Frances Academy: A big-bodied receiver from Georgia by way of Maryland, Jakes never saw the field in two seasons in Bloomington. He transferred to UNLV in 2021.

Gary Cooper, TE, Miami Columbus: One of two Columbus alums in the class, Cooper caught two passes during his redshirt season in 2019, then moved to wide receiver in 2020, appearing in six games. He transferred to Bryant after that. Across the past two years, he has 25 catches for 307 yards and three touchdowns for the Bulldogs.

Sio Nofoagatoto’a, DT, Clearwater (Fla.) International Academy: Across appearances in 41 of 45 possible games across the past four seasons, Nofoagatoto’a has registered 52 tackles, four for loss, as a core piece of Indiana’s interior line rotation. He participated in senior day before the Purdue game but can return for a fifth year under the COVID eligibility waiver if he so chooses.

Juan Harris, DT, Independence (Kan.) Community College: Harris’ IU career took its share of strange turns. He picked the Hoosiers over other Big Ten offers out of high school, appeared in three games as a true freshman before a season-ending injury, and then left the team. He transferred to Independence Community College, where he excelled before signing again with Indiana in 2019. He retired from football midway through the 2019 season.

Tim Weaver, Hellertown (Pa.) Saucon Valley: Weaver redshirted the 2019 season. He’s since tallied appearances in 25 games across the past three seasons, with seven starts in eight games at right guard this fall. Weaver participated in senior day but has eligibility remaining if he wishes to return.

Demarcus Elliott, DT, Garden City (Kan.) Community College: A late add to the 2019 class, Elliott proved a quietly inspired one as well. Since his arrival, he’s appeared in 44 games, with 109 tackles, 11 for loss, 4 ½ sacks and one forced fumble. A disruptive force along the interior line, he’s also been credited with four passes defensed across the course of his career.

Sean Wracher, LS, Cleveland St. Ignatius: Wracher earned a scholarship as part of Allen’s emphasis on improving special teams, and he’s rewarded his head coach with largely flawless play across 45 starts in 45 possible games. Teammates have regularly cited Wracher among the Hoosiers’ leaders in the specialist groups.

Jack Tuttle, QB, Utah (transfer): We should start including transfers on these lists, given their growing prominence in the annual recruiting formula. Tuttle, an Elite 11 quarterback in high school, transferred to IU from Utah, settling into the same program his father played for in the 1980s. Across parts of four seasons, Tuttle passed for 901 yards on 104-of-182 attempts, with five touchdowns and six interceptions. He was selected as a team captain this season and, despite announcing his decision to transfer this winter, he stayed with the Hoosiers through the end of the 2022 campaign. His season was cut short by a shoulder injury suffered in the loss to Penn State.

Follow IndyStar reporter Zach Osterman on Twitter: @ZachOsterman.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IU football: How Tom Allen's 2019 Indiana recruiting class panned out