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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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Indiana’s 27–21 College Football Playoff title win over Miami on Monday night capped a perfect 16–0 season and delivered the program’s first-ever College Football Playoff national championship. The Hoosiers also defeated Ohio State for the Big Ten title en route to the final, and their 16–0 finish matched a perfect-season win total not seen since Yale in 1894, a historic turnaround for a program long mired in losses.
However, Indiana has already seen roster movement in the immediate aftermath of the championship, including backup quarterback Alberto Mendoza, who entered the transfer portal on Tuesday and has reportedly signed with Georgia Tech.
Another domino fell on Wednesday, as Indiana redshirt-freshman left tackle Evan Lawrence also entered the NCAA transfer portal.
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Lawrence was a high-end in-state recruit in the 2024 class, with On3 listing him as a three-star prospect ranked No. 41 nationally among offensive tackles and No. 8 overall in Indiana coming out of Danville Community High School. He earned Indiana Football Coaches Association All-State honors as a senior.
Enrolling with the 2024 class, Lawrence redshirted his first season in Bloomington before appearing in seven games in 2025, becoming one of six non-true freshmen to make his collegiate debut for the Hoosiers.
A 6-foot-6, 306-pound left tackle with multiple years of eligibility remaining, Lawrence reportedly did not allow a single pressure during the 2025 season. His departure represents a notable loss for head coach Curt Cignetti, particularly given Indiana’s need to sustain offensive line depth following its championship run.
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Typical landing patterns for a high-rated, young Big Ten offensive tackle include regional Power Five programs and teams with immediate needs along the offensive line. Likely suitors are programs that have consistently used the transfer portal to supplement O-line depth or have experienced recent turnover at the position, such as Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State, the latter of which has been particularly active in the portal cycle.
As for timing, there is no firm deadline. Players who enter the transfer portal often take anywhere from days to several weeks to secure a new destination. Some commit quickly during the early January window, while others allow the process to play out deeper into the offseason.
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