IU football 2026 preseason position previews: Safeties

Photos from IU football's 56-3 win against Purdue.

Welcome to “IU football preseason position previews,” a series that will break down the depth chart and production potential of Indiana’s roster ahead of the 2026 season.

Next up: Safeties

Previously: Specialists, Cornerbacks

Indiana enters 2026 needing to replace two of its three starters at the safety position. It will be difficult to replace and certainly improve upon the production of Louis Moore and Devan Boykin.

Here is what the safety room looks like.

Personnel

Returners: Amare Ferrell, Byron Baldwin Jr., Garrett Reese, Seaonta Stewart Jr., Anthony Chung, Clay Connor, Heath Kizer

Departures via transfer portal: Jah Jah Boyd (Colorado)

Departures via graduation/NFL Draft/Out of eligibility: Louis Moore, Devan Boykin, Bryson Bonds, Reece Bellin

Arrivals via transfer portal: Preston Zachman (Wisconsin), Quan Sanks (Cincinnati)

Incoming freshmen: Jamar Owens, D’Montae Tims

What is different in 2026?

Indiana’s three safeties in 2025 were about as good as can be in college football. Louis Moore played strong safety. Amare Ferrell filled the free safety spot. Devan Boykin was the rover, a safety and linebacker hybrid in Indiana’s 4-2-5 defensive scheme.

Moore was a ballhawk all season long, racking up six interceptions and breaking up three passes. He was also a reliable tackler in the back-end of the secondary with 88 tackles on the season, 45 of them solo.

His performance was enough to earn numerous All-American honors, including second-team by the Associated Press and first-team honors from CBS Sports, On3 and Sports Illustrated. He earned first-team All-Big Ten from the conference coaches and second-team All-Big Ten from the media panel.

Moore signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent.

Ferrell had four interceptions to go with six pass breakups and two tackles for loss. He earned second-team All-Big Ten from the conference media and honorable mention from the coaches panel.

Boykin filled the stat sheets with two interceptions, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, five pass breakups, six tackles for loss and a touchdown. He did not earn all-conference honors, but signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent.

Indiana must replace two NFL-caliber talents in the back end of the secondary for the 2026 season. Returning Ferrell is a great start in maintaining production in the safety room. He will need some help. There is a mix of young talent and veterans with experience to fill out the room.

Players to consider for the open starting spots

Preston Zachman (Redshirt senior, 6-foot-2, 209 pounds)

Zachman comes to Bloomington as an in-conference portal addition from Wisconsin. He ranked as the No. 71 safety in the portal and the No. 746 overall player.

Indiana’s staff is much higher on him than the rankings.

Part of the reason Zachman is ranked so low is an injury that sidelined him for nine games in 2025. In his three games, all starts, he was ultra-productive with 12 tackles and two interceptions.

In 2024, Zachman started all 12 games for the Badgers, making 58 tackles with two interceptions, three tackles for loss and four pass breakups. Zachman has played in 35 career games, including 20 starts, over six seasons at Wisconsin. When healthy, he is productive. He just has to stay that way.

He will be a strong candidate to replace Louis Moore at strong safety.

Byron Baldwin Jr. (Sophomore, 6-foot-2, 185 pounds)

Of the seven returners besides Ferrell, the only one with significant playing time in 2025 was Baldwin. Baldwin, a highly-touted four-star recruit in the 2025 class, missed the first eight games of the season due to injury.

He played in each of the last eight games, recording 10 tackles, recovering a fumble and recording a quarterback hit. He also saw time on special teams as a gunner, most notably when he blew up Oregon’s kick returner on the opening play of the Peach Bowl.

Baldwin showed promise as a physical, rangy and instinctive young safety. It was enough promise for Indiana to burn his redshirt and let him develop with on-field experience.

Baldwin is a strong candidate to slot into the rover spot.

Quan Sanks (Junior, 5-foot-10, 190 pounds)

Sanks comes to Indiana with two seasons under his belt at Cincinnati. He was ranked the No. 55 safety and No. 632 overall player in the portal, per 247Sports.

Over his two seasons at Cincinnati, Sanks appeared in 24 games with 12 starts, totaling five pass breakups, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, 3.5 tackles for loss and 92 total tackles.

While Sanks may have more experience than some in the safety room, his coverage capabilities and on-field product might need time to develop. He will likely be in a position battle with Baldwin for the rover spot.

The depth pieces

Very few of Indiana’s young safeties have seen time on the field. They have had action on special teams and late in blowouts, but that will likely not be enough to come close to cracking the rotation.

Injuries happen, though, and IU hopes these guys will be ready if called upon.

Garrett Reese (Sophomore, 6-foot-2, 205 pounds)

Reese was one of the few young safeties who saw time on defense last year. He appeared in 10 games as a true freshman, mostly on special teams. He did make one tackle and recovered a fumble in his defensive appearances.

Anthony Chung (Redshirt junior, 6-foot-1, 199 pounds)

Chung did see playing time on defense in 2025. While he mostly played on special teams, he made six tackles on defense and had three pass breakups in the fourth quarter against Purdue.

Chung, a former walk-on in 2023, could see time in the safety rotation in blowouts or if injuries plague the room.

Clay Conner (Redshirt junior, 6-foot-4, 206 pounds)

Conner played in all 16 games in 2025. Made four tackles on special teams and blocked a punt. Connor will be a staple on special teams again in 2026. It is unlikely that he will see time at safety.

Heath Kizer (Redshirt sophomore, 6-foot-1, 203 pounds)

Kizer redshirted in 2025 and did not see the field. He was a former walk-on in 2024.

Seaonta Stewart Jr. (Redshirt freshman, 6-foot-1, 205 pounds)

Stewart Jr. redshirted in 2025 and did not see the field. Was a three-star recruit in the 2025 class.

The freshmen

Jamar Owens (6-feet, 172 pounds)

Owens is a three-star recruit from Douglas County High School in Douglasville, Georgia. He was rated the No. 92 safety in the class of 2026 by 247Sports

D’Montae Tims (6-feet, 202 pounds)

Tims is another three-star recruit from Armwood High School in Seffner, Florida. He was rated the No. 48 safety in the class of 2026 by 247Sports.

Do not expect either freshman to play right away. If anything, they may see some time on special teams. Cignetti and his staff will, in all likelihood, preserve their redshirts and let them develop.

Predicted Starters

Free Safety: Amare Ferrell
Strong Safety: Preston Zachman
Rover: Byron Baldwin Jr.

Next-in-line:
Quan Sanks
Garrett Reese
Anthony Chung
Seaonta Stewart Jr.

Special teams/Redshirt/Unlikely to play:
Jamar Owens
D’Montae Tims
Clay Conner
Heath Kizer

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