Curt Cignetti's Indiana Hoosiers offers four-star IOL Zykie Helton to the class of 2026

Four-star interior offensive lineman Zykie Helton, from Carrollton High School in Georgia, is becoming one of the most highly-touted prospects in the 2026 class. He played a crucial role in his school’s recent success. His equation with blue-chip quarterback Julian Lewis over the past two seasons was incredible.

Curt Cignetti's Indiana also extended an offer to Helton on Thursday. He shared the news on X, writing:

"After a great conversation with @CoachTSunseri, I am blessed to Receive an 🅾️ffer from @IndianaFootball @CCignettiIU @CoachShanahan."

The 6-foot-3, 325-pound offensive lineman already earned more than a dozen offers from college programs like Alabama, East Carolina, Florida State, Auburn and Penn State, among others.

As a sophomore, Helton was named an All-American by MaxPreps. He earned varsity snaps as a freshman in 2022 and his high school reached Georgia’s AAAAAAAA state title game that year. He played primarily on the defensive line as a freshman, but he also saw action at offensive guard and on special teams.

Zykie Helton is expected to be a guard or center at the college level. He is ranked by On3 as the No. 26 interior offensive lineman in the 2026 recruiting class and the No. 38 player in Georgia. 247 Sports places him as the No. 24 interior offensive lineman in the class and the No. 35 player in the state.

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Which programs are in the race for Zykie Helton's commitment?

Zykie Helton was once an Alabama commit. Following Nick Saban's retirement as head coach, the Crimson Tide saw a wave of decommitments from recruits, but Helton was not among those who immediately reconsidered their pledges. Instead, he chose to place his trust in the new head coach, Kalen DeBoer.

“I feel like he’s the next to do it," Zykie Helton told On3. "I know he lost the national championship, but I feel like he can go to Bama and do some special things.”

However, in March of this year, Helton ultimately decided to withdraw his commitment to the Crimson Tide. Despite this decommitment, Alabama remains a strong contender to secure its commitment once again. The On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine gives Alabama a 97.6% chance of landing the prospect.

Georgia has also entered the race for Helton, though its chances are extremely slim. The On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine gives the Bulldogs only a 1.4% chance of securing his commitment. Georgia’s 2026 class is ranked No. 4 in the nation and No. 2 in the SEC. It features standout talents, like cornerback Jontavius Wyman, quarterback Jared Curtis and cornerback Dominick Kelly.