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For the second time this offseason, Indiana has dipped into the Southeastern Conference for help on its defensive line.
And this time, the Hoosiers got themselves a former top-100 recruit.
Former Auburn defensive end Jaren Handy announced Wednesday evening that he will transfer to IU, giving Tom Allen’s program some more help on the edge. Handy played in 14 career games in two seasons at his previous school, recording six solo tackles, three for loss and one sack for the Tigers. He saw only limited action on the field in 2020, logging 78 total snaps across seven contests, according to Pro Football Focus.
The 6-foot-5, 252-pound Hattiesburg, Miss. native had significant SEC interest coming out of high school. LSU, Alabama, Florida and Georgia each offered Handy, who was ranked by 247 Sports as the No. 91 overall player and the No. 7 strong-side defensive end in the 2019 cycle.
During the 2019 recruiting cycle, former 247 Sports director of scouting Barton Simmons wrote of Handy:
Big-bodied edge defender with a powerful lower half. Operates primarily on the edge in high school both with a hand down and as a stand-up pass rusher. Fast, twitchy athlete that runs well in pursuit and downfield. Plays fast and arrives at the football aggressively. Has some healthy recklessness to his game. Very raw in terms of hand usage and pad level. Plays very upright. An upside prospect that needs to be reigned in and polished up but will develop into an impact Power Five starter that projects as an early round NFL Draft pick.
Handy’s decision comes after IU picked up former Ole Miss defensive end Ryder Anderson through the transfer portal in January. The Hoosiers recently added depth to the middle of their D-line, taking a transfer commitment from former Northern Illinois defensive tackle Weston Kramer.
Indiana has also said goodbye to a handful of players from last season’s defensive line, including defensive tackles Jerome Johnson (NFL), Jovan Swann (NFL) and Damarjhe Lewis (transfer), and ends Jeramy Passmore (transfer) and Tramar Reece (transfer).