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With the NFL early entry deadline having passed and the 2019 recruiting class close to being wrapped up, we have a clear picture of what Indiana's roster will look like heading into next year.

Yes, there will still be some transfers and unexpected attrition (just as there always is) before next season kicks off, but for now the roster appears to be set.

With that in mind, we've taken a best guess look at the 2019 projected depth chart, and explained which player/s should be expected to start at every position.

*Note: each players' class refers to what they will be in 2019.

Indiana's offense desperately needs a quarterback with the arm strength and mobility that Michael Penix Jr. has. Assuming his recovery stays on schedule and he's at full strength by the start of fall camp, he should get the starting nod.

Penix went 21-of-34 (61.8 percent) for 219 yards with one touchdown and also rushed seven times for 45 yards in three games of an injury-shortened 2018 season. Redshirt junior Peyton Ramsey did his best last fall, but his progressions through his reads were slow and hurt the unit. His inability to consistently throw the ball deep - his 6.4 yards per attempt tied ford third-lowest in the Big Ten - allowed defensive backs to play closer to the line of scrimmage and be more physical with IU's receivers.

The wrinkle here is transfer quarterback Jack Tuttle. IU is petitioning for the former four-star prospect to have immediate eligibility after he didn't play a single snap for Utah last fall, and if it wins the appeal, he will make a strong case to be the starter.

There's an argument to be made that this is the deepest position on the offensive side of the ball.

Stevie Scott showed he could be an every-down back en route to a record-breaking freshman campaign. His 1,137 yards, 228 attempts, 10 touchdowns and six 100-yard games all set new marks in school history. Amongst true freshmen running backs nationally, he finished second in rushing yardage, 100-yard games and rushes, and third in rushing scores.

He's also got plenty of talent behind him who could make a push for playing time. Four-star early enrollee Sampson James collected 3,451 yards on 573 attempts (6.0 average) with 38 rushing touchdowns and 41 total touchdowns during his preps career at Avon (Ind.) High. James' classmate, three-star signee Ivory Winters, posted 59 touchdowns and 2,700 yards as a senior and is a dynamic enough athlete to potentially be featured in the slot at times.

Sophomore Ronnie Walker and redshirt junior Cole Gest are primarily change of pace backs and likely won't see as much action.

Overall, it's very crowded behind Scott, and there's several carries up for grabs when he's not on the field.

The trio of Nick Westbrook, Donovan Hale and Whop Philyor gives Indiana one of the most experienced receiving corps in the Big Ten.

Westbrook (590 yards) and Hale (508) combined for nearly 1,100 yards on 42 catches each. Considering they both have 1,000 yard potential on their own, they were severely underutilized in 2018.

Philyor should provide Indiana with a speedy deep threat in the slot, provided he can stay healthy. Junior Ty Fryfogle merged as a sophomore with 29 catches for 381 yards and three scores and sophomore Reese Taylor (28 receptions for 174 yards) offers intriguing potential if he gets the ball in his hands enough.

Miles Marshall and Jacobly Hewitt didn't get a ton of action last year but could provide quality depth. Marshall and Fryfogle in particular could help spell Westbrook and Hale on the perimeter.

Jordan Jakes (6-foot-5, 197 pounds) fits the mold of the bigger receivers position coach Grant Heard looks for and may have a chance to crack the rotation depending on how he develops.

With Ian Thomas off to the NFL, there was some uncertainty surrounding who would step up at the tight end position in 2018. Thanks to Peyton Hendershot, that's not a question Indiana has to face in 2019.

Sophomore Matt Bjorson (five catches for 53 yards) should provide a nice run-blocking compliment in two tight-end sets and will likely back up Hendershot after appearing in all 12 games in his first season.

Beyond that, though, the depth is a little thin after redshirt junior Austin Dorris chose to play his fifth and final year of college football elsewhere. Redshirt freshman T.J. Ivy (6-5, 247) did not play last year, and redshirt junior Shaun Bonner primarily played on special teams in the nine games he appeared in last fall. Consequently, that could create some opportunities for true freshman tight end Gary Cooper, even if he doesn't exceed the four-game redshirt threshold.

An offensive line that returns three of its five starters from 2018, the main questions are at the left guard and right tackle positions.

Redshirt senior DaVondre Love was originally set to depart Indiana as a graduate transfer before changing his mind and deciding to come back and should get the start at right tackle given his experience. Listed as Brandon Knight's backup at right tackle for most of the season, Love's return brings desperately needed experience at that position with 18 career games under his belt. However, 6-8, 360 redshirt sophomore Caleb Jones, played in 11 of IU's 12 games last fall and could push for the job depending on how he develops this year.

At left guard, junior Harry Crider makes the most sense logically since IU has groomed him to be versatile enough to play anywhere along the interior of the offensive line.

With that being said, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Britt Beery (6-6, 315) to contend for a starting spot at one of the guard spots. Ryan Smith and McKenzie Nworah should help with interior depth

Redshirt freshman Aidan Rafferty and Nick Marozas will will have chances to contribute. True freshmen Michael Katic and Matthew Bedford could also see the field, but they might only do so past four games if unforeseen injuries hit this group hard.

Similar to the offensive line, the defensive line returns some experience but has some uncertainty along the interior with four graduating.

Gavin Everett should hold down one of the defensive end spots again. Jerome Johnson has earned a starting spot at defensive tackle after leading the team with 3.5 sacks and finishing second with 5.5 tackles for loss. At the other defensive tackle, redshirt senior Brandon Wilson has more experience, but he's 65 pounds lighter than 6-3, 360 Juan Harris. Harris' size would likely benefit Indiana more in trying to stop opposing rushing attacks, particularly between the tackles.

Defensive line coach Mark Hagen rotates his group often to keep it fresh, though, so it's kind of a crapshoot trying to guess who starts.

The stinger, or weakside, linebacker position and hybrid husky position aren't up for debate with Reakwon Jones and Marcelino Ball both set to return. The strongside, or mike, linebacker position, however, is another story.

The graduation of Dameon Willis, who finished second on the team in tackles with 62, leaves a huge hole there, one with no obvious answer on who should fill it. After Jones, redshirt sophomore Thomas Allen was the most productive linebacker from a statistical standpoint with 28 total tackles while playing in all 12 games. Micah McFadden as a true freshman developed a reputation for creating takeaways and should get a fair job at the starting job as well.

Several others, such Aaron Casey and James Miller, should get snaps due to the medical retirement of T.D. Roof.

There should be no drama here as A'Shon Riggins and Andre Brown Jr. are the two most experienced members of this position room.

Junior Raheem Layne has a very good chance of beating one or the other out for one of the starting jobs, though, especially after rotating with Riggins for a good portion of the 2018 season.

Jaylin Williams saw a lot of action as a freshman and is also a candidate for a bigger role, even if it is as a backup.

Even with all the young talent that emerged at safety last fall, center field can't be devoid of experience. That's where Khalil Bryant comes in and keeps the reins at free safety.

Strong safety, though, will have plenty of competition and be a question mark after the graduation of four-year starter Jonathan Crawford.

Devon Matthews impressed as a true freshman with 20 tackles, 13 solo, with one for loss, one interception, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup in 10 games last fall. So, too, did redshirt freshman Bryant Fitzgerald, who led the team with three interceptions (tied for eighth in the Big Ten), two forced fumbles (tied, T-7th in the Big Ten) and six takeaways. Fitzgerald, 6-0, 214, packs a punch with his size, but Matthews, 6-2, 206, more closely matches Crawford's frame, and that might ultimately give him the nod.

It's also entirely possible Matthews and Fitzgerald end up being Indiana's best starting combination instead.

Logan Justus should still handle field goal duties, while redshirt junior Jared Smolar will still handle kickoffs. But should be pushed once again by redshirt freshman Charles Campbell, a former five-star prospect.

Haydon Whitehead has played in every game since he arrived on campus, so he should remain Indiana's starting punter barring an unforeseen injury.

While Bryant Fitzgerald was listed as the starting kick returner, it wouldn't be surprising to see Reese Taylor take over those duties due to his speed and quickness - even though both are exceptional athletes.

J-Shun Harris' graduation means the punt return job is up for grabs. The speed of Whop Philyor, listed as the third-string punt returner last season behind the now-graduated Luke Timian, makes him the top candidate, though Jaylin Williams could also get an opportunity here too.

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