As college coaching staffs across the country start their seasons and stick recruiting somewhat into the rearview mirror, personnel staffs in recruiting offices everywhere are all putting recruiting front and center. With one eye on the Class of 2026, the real emphasis for the fall is the Class of 2027, and the Hoosiers have a lot of options within the state and region to acquire top-shelf talent for the future.

A chief target will be Carmel Catholic (Ill.) High School quarterback Trae Taylor. Taylor is a 6-foot-2, 180-pound sophomore who is already drawing national attention. He already flashes a great arm, with outstanding accuracy on the deep ball and the ability to throw effectively on the move. Taylor also has the athleticism to be a dual-threat and key player opposing defenses have to account for, in both the running and passing game.

The Hoosiers offered Taylor after he camped with Indiana on June 5.

“It felt great,” he said. “it always feels great when you go to a camp workout and you leave there with an offer. But Coach Tino (Sunseri) took time for me and made everything special.

He impressed the staff - notably quarterbacks coach Tino Sunseri - with an in-person evaluation.

“His energy and his focus on the small details was amazing,” Taylor said of the Hoosiers’ quarterbacks coach. “There were only a few coaches I worked with this summer that really taught me a few new things. But how he involves his family with the QB room was neat to hear about. Again his energy is different.”

The Hoosiers will have to compete hard for his services. He already holds offers from 20 other schools, including Texas Christian, West Virginia, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Michigan and Colorado. But the team down south in Bloomington has as strong a chance as any at landing Taylor, especially if new head coach Curt Cignetti turns around the Indiana program.

“You can see the culture changing at Indiana,” Taylor said. “I only have been down for camp. I have not gotten a chance really experience anything but the football facilities.”

Taylor said he is locked into competing for his high school team, with workouts and throwing sessions, even as early as 5 a.m. He has grown five inches over the past two years and gained an extra 35 pounds, too, which will help as he navigates his role as a starting quarterback when Illinois high school football kicks off.

“All I do is lift, watch film, throw,” he said. “But I’m just ready to get going. To show Indiana was right for offering.”