Indiana Prep Stars Eye Big College Futures

IndyStar's Kyle Neddenriep assesses the senior seasons of in-state Indiana and Purdue commits.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Secondary Education

Indiana Prep Stars Eye Big College Futures

IndyStar reporter Kyle Neddenriep evaluated the senior seasons of in-state IU and Purdue commits during a guest appearance on Query & Company. Questions about the players were submitted by a listener and passed to him on the air.

Why it matters

Senior-year production and health shape how highly recruited Indiana prep players are viewed by the programs that signed them. The assessments offer Indiana readers a look at how the state's in-state commits are developing before they reach college.

Branden Sharpe has recorded 1,000 receiving yards in each of the last three seasons at Brownsburg, and Izayveon Zay Moore has four consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons at Lawrence North. Monshun Sales, a five-star IU commit listed at 6-foot-5, has been sidelined by an injury, and his status for the state tournament remains uncertain.

The players

Kyle Neddenriep

Kyle Neddenriep is a reporter for IndyStar who covers Indiana high school and college sports and was a guest on Query & Company to assess in-state commits.

Branden Sharpe

Branden Sharpe is a Brownsburg receiver and Indiana commit who has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards for three straight seasons and may be a Mr. Football contender.

Izayveon Zay Moore

Izayveon Zay Moore is a Lawrence North running back who first committed to Miami (Ohio) before Purdue offered and has posted four consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

Monshun Sales

Monshun Sales is a five-star Indiana commit from Lawrence North who is 6-foot-5 and has been held back by a nagging injury.

The details

Neddenriep answered listener questions on the guest line during Query & Company about Indiana and Purdue commits. Sharpe may be the front-runner for Mr. Football and could play slot receiver and possibly punt returner at IU. Zay Moore first committed to Miami (Ohio) before Purdue offered, and he has carried more of the load for Lawrence North this fall alongside quarterback Darien Prather.

This fall: Zay Moore takes on a larger workload for Lawrence North alongside Prather.
State tournament: Monshun Sales is hopeful to return from injury.

Season Trajectory

Indiana's in-state commits to IU and Purdue are being watched closely through their senior seasons, as IndyStar's ongoing coverage of the Mr. Football race tracks which players stand out before college. Sharpe's three straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons and Zay Moore's four consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons place both among the state's most productive prep players this year.

Indiana families following in-state prep players can track Sharpe's Mr. Football candidacy and Sales' return from injury as the season moves toward the state tournament. Readers who follow IU and Purdue recruiting can use these senior-season updates to gauge how commits will fit into each program's plans.

The takeaway

Senior-season production and health are the clearest signals of how Indiana's in-state commits will translate to the college level. Following these players through the state tournament offers a useful check on how their recruitment is progressing.