New commitments bump 2013 recruiting class to 19

Following official visits to IU, Flowery Branch, Ga., outside linebacker Kristopher Smith, cornerback Noel Padmore, and Iowa Western Community College inside linebacker Steven Funderburk have announced their decisions to join the Hoosiers’ football program.

Making his choice public via Twitter on Dec. 10, Smith became the 17th member of IU’s 2013 recruiting class and the fourth linebacker.

Less than 24 hours later, Funderburk made his commitment as the 18th pledge and fifth linebacker in the group.
 
Padmore, the latest recruit to commit to IU, made his decision to join the Hoosiers’ program on Dec. 15.
 
Sizing up at 6-foot-4-inches and 205 pounds, Smith is rated as a 3-star prospect on Rivals.com.

He also held offers from multiple BCS schools including Cincinnati, Purdue, Pittsburgh and Syracuse. Padmore, his high school teammate, is another 3-star recruit with previous interest from major programs such as Ole Miss, Wake Forest and Illinois.
 
Funderburk meanwhile is a 6-foot-3-inch, 225-pound prospect rated as a 2-star recruit by the website.
 
The linebacker played his college football at Tulane in 2011 before transferring to IWCC for the 2012 season.

With the three decisions, 14 of the Hoosiers’ 19 recruits are now from outside of the state.
 
Funderburk will also join current teammate Jordan Heiderman at IU next season, and will be eligible for spring practice.

As of Sunday evening, the Hoosiers’ recruiting class ranks No. 43 in the Rivals.com team rankings and could rise given more commitments. Since its inception in 2002, IU has never finished a recruiting period with a top-50 class.

— Jordan Littman