Darian DeVries, Indiana’s recruiting plans hit snag tied to Philadelphia's top recruit

After a promising offseason on the recruiting trail under newly hired head coach Darian DeVries, the Indiana Hoosiers faced their first setback in high school recruiting today.

The Hoosiers came up short in their pursuit of one of its top targets, as four-star forward Sammy Jackson announced his commitment to Virginia Commonwealth University. He was ranked No. 67 nationally according to 247Sports and the top recruit in Pennsylvania for the 2026 class.

Jackson picked VCU over Indiana, Texas, Auburn, and Arizona State.

The 6-foot-7 Philadelphia native had been a priority for DeVries and his staff as they worked to rebuild Indiana’s roster following a disappointing 2024-25 campaign. But in the end, proximity to home and long-established connections gave VCU the edge.

"The relationship I have with the coaches, the Martellis, and the whole family being from Philly was huge. I've known them for a while," Jackson told 247Sports. "Being able to go to a school run by hometown guys, you feel like you have a good support system."

VCU scored a big win on the recruiting trail by beating out several high-major programs for Jackson’s commitment. His Philadelphia roots and the chance to stay close to home played a big part, with Richmond just a few hours away.

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For Indiana, missing out on Jackson is a reminder that rebuilding under DeVries won’t happen overnight.

Indiana, still searching for their first commitment in the 2026 class, have focused heavily on the transfer portal to reshape the roster in the short term.They hold the nation’s No. 34 transfer class for 2025, according to 247Sports, landing 10 transfers — eight of whom are rated as four-star players.

DeVries was hired with the expectation of modernizing Indiana’s roster-building approach, blending portal experience with high school recruiting to get the program back to national relevance. While missing out on Jackson stings, the Hoosiers remain in the mix for several other top targets in the 2026 cycle.

The pressure remains high in Bloomington. 

Indiana is still looking to return regularly to the NCAA Tournament, and DeVries’ ability to land impact players — both through the portal and at the high school level — will ultimately determine how quickly the Hoosiers can climb back into the Big Ten and national conversation.

For now, the attention shifts to the next wave of recruits as DeVries and his staff work to land the pieces needed to restore the Hoosiers to their once-familiar place among college basketball’s elite.