Indiana's defensive tackle group was one of the nation's best in 2025, and the expectation is for them to do it again in 2026, maybe even improving on their impressive numbers. The group's success can be attributed to the leadership of Tyrique Tucker and Mario Landino, who were the anchors of the room in 2025. However, the 2026 squad will look different, with a focus on finding depth behind these two stars. The key difference lies in the rotational pieces, with Hosea Wheeler and Dominique Ratcliff no longer in the picture. Wheeler, who transferred to Baylor, and Ratcliff, who exhausted his eligibility, were key special-teams players and rotational pieces for Indiana in 2025. Their absence will be felt, but the Hoosiers have addressed the need by bringing in Joe Hjelle via the transfer portal and recruiting a strong freshman class, including Cam McHaney, Gabe Hill, Rodney White, and Blake Smythe. In my opinion, the most intriguing aspect of this group is the potential for Landino to have a breakout season. He has the athleticism to play inside as a tackle or outside as an edge rusher, and his improvement has been steady over his two years. If he can maintain this progress, he could become one of the conference's best players. However, the real test will be finding depth behind Tucker and Landino. The Hoosiers approached this challenge slightly differently in 2026 than in 2025, and it remains to be seen if this new approach will pay off. Overall, Indiana's defensive tackles are in a strong position to repeat their success in 2026, but the real question is whether they can find the depth to sustain their dominance. Personally, I think the group has the potential to be even better in 2026, but it will take a strong showing from the freshman class and a continued breakout performance from Landino to make that a reality.
