Since the NCAA introduced the early national signing day, which takes place in December, in 2017, it has become the most prominent time to sign. Those who sign with their respective schools in the early period enroll at their school in time for the spring semester.
However, some recruits wait to sign with their schools until the traditional signing period in February, which allows schools to continue recruiting them.
On Wednesday, Indiana football announced two recruits signed with the Hoosiers: quarterback Jacob Bell and linebacker Amari Kamara.
Bell, who was originally committed to Ball State University, flipped to Indiana on Dec. 25. The three-star signal caller accumulated 3,223 total yards and 44 total touchdowns during his senior season at Naperville North High School in Naperville, Illinois, earning All-State honors.
According to 247Sports’ rankings, Bell is the 85th-best quarterback in the nation. He was previously ranked the 96th-best when he committed to the Hoosiers.
Bell will join the quarterback room that is headlined by redshirt junior Fernando Mendoza, who transferred to Indiana from the University of California, Berkeley in December and is the presumptive successor to Kurtis Rourke.
Kamara, who is redshirt senior defensive lineman Mikail Kamara’s younger brother, comes to Bloomington from Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn, Virginia.
The 5-foot-11, 200-pound Kamara is the 129th-best linebacker in the nation and the 36th-best in Virginia, according to 247Sports. The Hoosiers were just his third offer, joining Division III schools Averett University and Hampden-Sydney College.
Indiana previously announced 31 newcomers to campus for the spring semester Jan. 13. Seventeen of the new Hoosiers are transfers while 14 are freshmen. Led by second-year head coach Curt Cignetti, the Cream and Crimson will host their spring game at noon April 19 at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington.
Follow reporters Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) and Dalton James (@DaltonMJames) and columnist Jhett Garrett (@jhettgarrett) for updates throughout the Indiana football offseason.
