#17

Daniel Ndukwe

DL · Indiana · Fr. · #17

Returning to Indiana for 2026
Fr. · Lithonia, Ga. → Arabia Mountain
via iuhoosiers.com ↗
This season's coverage starts August 26 — check back once kickoff hits.

Daniel Ndukwe

DL · Indiana · So · #17

Limited signal — not enough coverage for a story yet.

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
★★★
#1725 national
CFB
College
Indiana
2024–2025
NFL
NFL Draft
Not drafted (yet)

2025 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

2024Indiana11-2HC: Curt Cignetti · Run-leaning
2025Indiana16-0HC: Curt Cignetti · Run-heavy

Career stats

SeasonTeam
2025Indiana1483.02.0------
2024Indiana1--0.00.0------
Career1583.02.0------

How he plays

Play style

Disrupts the pocket from the interior.

CFB Index positional classification

2026 Outlook

Indiana

2026 Depth chart

Projected starter

Defensive line · Indiana

Returning around him

  • 25% of 2024 offensive production back (Heavy turnover)
  • 8 Indiana players drafted to NFL
  • Transfer portal: +1 net (17 in / 16 out)

2026 Award watch

No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)

Indiana · Last season: 16-0 (AP #1) · Talent rank #72 · 2026 recruiting class #29

DNA match

Player DNA

3-Tech Penetrator

Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.

IDL

His 2025 production profile sits closest to Javen Gibson’s 2025 season.

Javen Gibson

78%match

Old Dominion · 2025

#2

Thomas Rush

Minnesota · 2021

78%
#3

Thomas Davis

App State · 2024

NFL Rd 1 · Pk 14
77%
#4

Jaxon Howard

Minnesota · 2025

76%
#5
76%

Matches Javen on

Weight
TFL rate
Hurry rate

Differs from Javen on

Class year (lower)
Height (higher)

Not enough data yet for this comparison.

As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Drake Jackson's sophomore season at USC (2021).

USC · 2021

All-SECNFL Rd 2 · Pk 29
#2

Leroy Harris III

Kansas · 2025

78%
#3

Nick Herbig

Wisconsin · 2021

All-Big TenNFL Rd 4
76%
#4

Jonah Elliss

Utah · 2022

Consensus All-AmericanNFL Rd 3 · Pk 12
74%
#5

Austin Booker

Kansas · 2023

NFL Rd 5
73%

Matches Drake on

TFL rate
Sack rate
Weight

Heisman trajectory

Heisman Trajectory · 2025

Peak #2382

Final rank
#2382
Avg #3803.0
Finalist prob 0%

Peaked at #2382 this season.

Background

Pronunciation: Daniel N-duke-way Career Notes & Records One of 12 true freshmen to debut in 2024 and one of five not to redshirt ... First Hoosier with multiple blocked kicks in the same season since James Head Jr. in 2022 ... First IU player with multiple blocked punts in the same season since J...

via iuhoosiers.com ↗