The biggest recruiting win in Indiana football history went public on Friday afternoon as Indianapolis Lawrence North Five-Star Plus+ wide receiver Monshun Sales announced his commitment to the Hoosiers.
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Head coach Curt Cignetti and his staff were able to land their top target this cycle, beating out Texas, Alabama, Ohio State and LSU. It’s a landmark recruiting victory and another signal that the Big Ten program in Bloomington is going nowhere.
The defending national champions had to fend off usual recruiting giants that have plucked top talent from the Midwest for years. This version of Indiana is different, however. It had multiple factors working in its favor with this recruitment and they leaned on them in the push to land Sales’ pledge.
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Rivals VP of Recruiting Steve Wiltfong explained how the Hoosiers got over the finish line on ‘The Inside Scoop’ recruiting show this weekend:
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“Obviously coming off a national championship season, a program that developed several NFL Draft picks, including wide receiver Omar Cooper, who goes in the first round…then you add in a touch of modern recruiting and Indiana was able to check all the boxes to keep five-star Monshun Sales home,” Wiltfong said.
Cooper certainly helped lay the blueprint for how a local receiver prospect can thrive in Indiana’s system. He also attended Lawrence North High School.
Beyond that, Indiana wasn’t bullied by the likes of Alabama and Ohio State — two schools that at times had momentum in Sales’ recruitment. While staying close to home is a nice bonus, Sales felt the buzz surrounding the program during his many times on campus. He knows what kind of program he’s going to play for in 2027.
“A proven track record on the field and at his position, great relationships with coach Cignetti, coach (Mike) Shanahan, coach (Eddie) Burk and this staff,” Wiltfong said. “The relationships (Sales) has with players on the team — former teammate Davion Chandler is at Indiana — knowing a lot of the local guys. Visiting Indiana several times in the spring, he also attended the national championship celebration. His official visit in April for Little 500 Weekend was electric.”
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“They had to hold off some powerhouse programs: Texas, Alabama, Ohio State, LSU. But it’s Indiana, and I think the national championship was as big as anything in landing Sales and keeping him home.”
Sales’ decision was ‘not easy’
“My decision to commit to Indiana was not an easy one,” Sales told Rivals through his agency Ascend. “The relationships that I made with the coaches and staff at Indiana throughout the process is what made it feel like home.
“Coach Cignetti has built a winning program and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”
With Sales now in the mix, Indiana has the No. 28 class in the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. The addition of the Five-Star Plus+ prospect could provide another surge on the trail for Cignetti and Co.
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The Hoosiers have expanded their reach and have been in the hunt for other top blue-chippers, but they’ve still had the most success while hunting for some of the best in the Midwest. Sales becomes the second in-state blue-chipper in the IU class, alongside Noblesville four-star offensive tackle Mason McDermott.
Farmington (Mich.) four-star EDGE Myles Smith was the highest-ranked commit in the class prior to Sales’ arrival. He’s now the No. 229 recruit and No. 23 EDGE in the nation.
Two other blue-chippers are in the mix: Lincolnton (N.C.) four-star linebacker Jalaythan Mayfield and Columbus (Ohio) Academy four-star defensive lineman Reinaldo Perez. Both are top-15 players in their respective state.
Other top prospects in the class include: Washington (D.C.) St. John’s three-star running back Da’Jon Talley Rhodes, Reading (Mass.) Tabor Academy three-star safety Brady Scott, Brownsburg (Ind.) three-star WR Branden Sharpe, Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley three-star cornerback Ramir Harris-Dupree and Louisville CAL three-star safety Garyon Hobbs.
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Scouting Monshun Sales
Sales reminds Rivals’ Scouting and Rankings Team of former LSU star and current NFL WR Brian Thomas Jr. Rivals’ Charles Power wrote this about Sales as a prospect this spring:
“High upside wide receiver prospect with an elite combination of size and speed. Checks in at around 6-foot-4.5, 205 pounds with 32.25-inch arms and 9-inch hands. Posts excellent marks on the track, especially at his size, running 10.81 seconds in the 100 meters and 21.4 seconds in the 200 meters. A vapor trail on vertical routes. Has the potential to take the top off of defenses with regularity. Shows quality tracking skills, locating the football over his shoulder. Competitive as a blocker and physical while working as a safety.
…Finished his junior season with 37 catches for 794 yards and 9 touchdowns. Still adding nuance to his game as a route-runner. Would like to see him continue to add to his catch radius and become more of a mismatch in contested catch situations given his size. Has the potential to be the top wide receiver prospect in the cycle with continued development.”
