Indiana football failed to see any of its players picked in the 2024 NFL Draft. However, two notable defensive stars from the Hoosiers, Aaron Casey and Andre Carter, swiftly secured spots as undrafted free agents. Casey inked a deal with the Cincinnati Bengals, while Carter signed on with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Both athletes aim to showcase their skills during rookie mini-camps and the preseason.
Several other former Hoosiers who participated in Indiana University’s Pro Day are still in pursuit of NFL contracts. Among them are Josh Henderson, Noah Pierre, DeQuece Carter, Sean Wracher, and Christian Turner.
Indiana’s current two-year drought without an NFL Draft selection marks its lengthiest since the 2012-13 season. Casey notably received an invitation to the NFL Combine this offseason, while Carter participated in Indiana’s Pro Day.
In the previous season, Cam Jones, a former standout linebacker for Indiana, secured a spot with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent and contributed to the team’s Super Bowl victory.
During his six seasons at Indiana, Casey evolved from a special teams player and backup linebacker into one of the Big Ten’s most impactful defenders. Standing at 6 feet 2 inches and weighing 228 pounds, he appeared in 45 games for the Hoosiers, accumulating impressive stats such as 240 tackles (156 solo), 36.0 tackles for loss, 10.0 sacks, five pass breakups, and five forced fumbles.
Casey’s breakout season occurred in 2022 as a redshirt senior, where he recorded a career-high 86 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two pass breakups, and two forced fumbles. This performance earned him an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention.
Returning to Indiana for his sixth and final season in 2023, Casey delivered one of the nation’s most remarkable defensive displays. He led the FBS with 19.0 solo tackles for loss and amassed 109 total tackles, marking the highest by an IU player in a single season since Tegray Scales in 2016. Casey also became the 12th linebacker in program history to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors and the first IU defender to secure multiple Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week awards in a career.
Carter, previously a standout at Western Michigan, transferred to Indiana before the 2023 season, quickly establishing himself as a crucial asset on the defensive front. At 6 feet 5 inches and 245 pounds, he appeared in all 12 games for the Hoosiers, amassing 49 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, and three pass breakups, earning him an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention.
Here all of Indiana’s NFL Draft picks since 2015:
Here’s a list of Indiana University football players drafted into the NFL since 2015:
– 2022: LB Micah McFadden – 5th round, 146th overall by New York Giants
– 2021: DB Jamar Johnson – 5th round, 164th overall by Denver Broncos
– 2020: OL Simon Stepaniak – 6th round, 209th overall by Green Bay Packers
– 2019: OL Wes Martin – 4th round, 131st overall by Washington Commanders
– 2018: TE Ian Thomas – 4th round, 101st overall by Carolina Panthers
– 2018: LB Chris Covington – 6th round, 193rd overall by Dallas Cowboys
– 2017: OL Dan Feeney – 3rd round, 71st overall by Los Angeles Chargers
– 2016: OL Jason Spriggs – 2nd round, 48th overall by Green Bay Packers
– 2016: RB Jordan Howard – 5th round, 150th overall by Chicago Bears
– 2016: QB Nate Sudfeld – 6th round, 187th overall by Washington Commanders
– 2015: RB Tevin Coleman – 3rd round, 73rd overall by Atlanta Falcons
