I do a post like this every year, where I try and identify targets Rutgers should pursue in the event they enter the portal. Here's the thread from last year and 2022 for reference:
rutgers.forums.rivals.com
rutgers.forums.rivals.com
I'll pat myself on the back, the first guy I highlighted last year was Dymere Miller and he's our leading WR this season. Let's first go through position by position and assess a need at each position group...
QB
Need: 0.
Rutgers has it's starter for next season in Athan Kaliakmanis and the heir apparent in AJ Surace behind him, with Ajani Sheppard as a depth QB as well.
RB
Need: 0-1.
Kyle Monangai is out of eligibility after this season but there is quality depth behind him with Samuel Brown, Antwan Raymond and Jashon Benjamin, with 4 star true freshman John Forster coming in the 2025 recruiting class. Two reasons why this isn't a 0/10...
1) Samuel Brown has suffered his 2nd season ending injury in the past three seasons, I doubt he's back at 100% by next season
2) The staff recently offered another RB in the 2025 class, so they clearly are interested in adding a RB
WR
Need: 0-1.
Rutgers is also in a very good situation long term at WR, with KJ Duff and Ian Strong clearly being the 1/2 punch of the future. Throw in Famah Toure and Ben Black as guys the staff really likes and you have a very good young core. It would be great to add a veteran pass catcher to round out this group, but it's a luxury item.
TE
Need: 0-1.
Kenny Fletcher had an up and down first season as a starter and unfortunately was lost for the season with an injury. The rest of the group (Logan Blake, Mike Higgins, etc) haven't shown a ton either. Rutgrs would use a TE, but It's not near the top of the need list
OL
Need: 1-3.
Hollin Pierce's graduation will leave a gaping hole on the left side of this offensive line. The rest of the starting OL (Bryan Felter, Gus Zilinskas, Kobe Asamoah, Tyler Needham) all have eligibility remaining. LT is an obvious need and upgrading depth behind starters should be a key.
DL
Need: 2-4.
This is probably the biggest area of need this off-season. Rutgers will be losing the majority of it's two deep from a unit that didn't perform up to expectations in 2024 so far (Aaron Lewis, Kyonte Hamilton, Malcolm Ray, Troy Rainey), but Wesley Bailey could return if he wanted which would be a big boost to this unit next year. Regardless, this is a unit that needs a talent infusion in the portal.
LB
Need: 1-2.
Rutgers will lose Tyreem Powell in the off-season, who has been a standout performer when healthy for 4 seasons at RU. They return Mohamed Toure, but he will be coming off of an ACL injury and the LB play has left a lot to be desired this season.
CB
Need: 1-2.
Rutgers loses it's CB1 and CB2 after this season in Robert Longerbeam and Eric Rogers, with Al-Shadee Salaam and Bo Mascoe likely pencilled in as the likely starters next year as things currently stand. Schiano has shown he has a great eye for DBs and has recruited the position well at the HS ranks. But adding a proven CB to this group would help the young guys along.
S
Need: 1-2.
Rutgers loses it's top three safeties in terms of snap counts after this season in Flip Dixon, Desmond Igbinuson and Shaquon Loyal. No position group gets hit harder this off-season than the safety room. Kaj Sanders is the obvious choice to take one of the safety spots this off-season, but Rutgers could really use a couple more safeties to solidify this unit.
So in terms of needs, Rutgers needs between 6 on the low end and 16 on the high end in terms of transfers this off-season (it will be closer to the low end than the high end I'm sure). Here are some realistic players that make sense for Rutgers to target in the hypothetical scenario that they enter the portal:
Potential Portal Targets (Offense)
RB
David Avit (Villanova)
Listed at 6-0, 220 lbs. True freshman, 3 years of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Winston Churchill HS in Potomac, MD.
Avit leads Villanova in rushing yards and TDs this season as a true freshman, with 126 carries for 716 yards and 7 TDs. He added another 3 catches for 35 yards through the air. He became the lead back mid-way through the season, receiving only 24 carries in the first (6/game) and averaging 17 carries/game over the last 6 games. His best game of the season came against Stony Brook, when he totalled 13 carries for 183 yards and 4 TDs. His PFF grade has been excellent, grading at an 85.2 (30th out of 484 qualifying RBs). Avit's brother plays WR for Maryland (Ezekiel Avit).
Zach Palmer-Smith (Richmond)
Listed at 6-0, 205 lbs. True junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Delran HS in Delran, NJ. He previously spent two seasons at Wagner.
He played against Rutgers in 2023 when he played for Wagner, so the staff has seen him up close. He's really taken his game to the next level in 2024, totalling 189 rushes for 980 yards and 10 TDs and another 6 catches for 35 yards and a TD through the air. He's graded out well at a 79.6 (82nd out of 486 qualifying RBs).
WR
Josh Derry (Monmouth)
Listed at 5-9, 175 lbs. True sophomore, 2 years of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Concordia Prep in Towson, MD.
Could Rutgers go back to the well at Monmouth this year for another Hawks WR? Josh Derry has been one of the leading WRs in the FCS this year, averaging almost 100 yards per game on the season (94.4), On the season he has 47 receptions for 754 yards and 4 TDs in 8 games. This is including a 7 catch, 107 yard performance in Monmouth's shocking win at FBS FIU this year and a 7 catch, 227 yard and 2 TD performance against Maine. He missed 2 games this season due to injury. His PFF grade has been phenomenal, posting an 83.1 grade, which ranks 24th out of 1062 qualifying WRs)
TJ Speight (Monmouth)
Listed at 5-11, 170 lbs. RS junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Meade HS in Forte Meade, MD.
Yes, another Monmouth Hawk on this list. TJ Speight is another WR who has put up good numbers (47 catches for 625 yards and 6 TDs in 10 games) in this Monmouth offense. He's also graded out on PFF with a 79.5 grade, which is good for 55th out of 1062 qualifying WRs.
Elijah Steward (Lafayette)
Listed at 5-10, 179 lbs. True junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Holy Spirit HS in Galloway, NJ.
Steward has caught 34 balls for 513 yards and 1 TD this season for Lafayette, while only playing in 6 games. He had a 15 catch, 244 yard and 1 TD game against Monmouth this year but missed 4 games due to injury. Despite this, he still leads the team in catches and yards. His PFF grade is extremely good, at a 82.2 which is 32nd out of 1062 qualifying WRs. Steward also led Lafayette in receiving last year in receptions (52), receiving yards (738) and TDs (5).
Jimmy Kibble (Georgetown)
Listed at 6-1, 200 lbs. True junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Loudon County HS in Leesburg, VA.
Kibble leads Georgetown in receptions (41), receiving yards (634) and TDs (3) in just 8 games. His best game of the season came against Columbia, where he put up 10/164. His PFF grade is stellar, at an 83.0 which is 25th out of 1062 qualifying WRs. Kibble also led Georgetown in receiving yards and TDs in 2023, when he put up 33/753/8, with a 22.8 yards per catch average 👀
Max Mosey (Holy Cross)
Listed at 6-1, 200 lbs. True junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Central Dauphin HS in Harrisburg, PA.
Mosey leads Holy Cross in receiving yards in 2024 with 657 in 10 games. His PFF grade is extremely good, at a 82.5 which is 30th out of 1062 qualifying WRs.
TE
Justin Joly (NC State)
Listed at 6-3, 235 lbs. RS junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Iona Prep in New Rochelle, NY.
Justin Joly was a bit of a white whale last off-season, the HS teammate of Rutgers backup QB was the lone bright spot on UConn's offense, tallying 56 catches for 578 and 2 TDs as a RS SO. This year, he's been an impact receiver for NC State, leading the team in receiving yards (565) and 2nd in TDs (3) and receptions (34). He's averaging a staggering 16.6 yards/catch at TE in the ACC. He's been a standout on PFF in his career, with his 2024 grade at a 71.0 (50th out of 497 qualifying TEs). NC State has had a bit of a disappointing 2024 season, if he enters the portal we should jump all over him.
OL
Ryder Langsdale (Lafayette)
Listed at 6-7, 298 lbs. RS junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Ridgewood HS in Ridgewood, NJ.
Finished last season 3rd Team All-American and entered this season 1st Team All-Patriot league. He's another guy I highlighted last year, but never entered the portal. He has started every game the last 3 seasons for Lafayette at left tackle. Last year he graded out at 86.6, which was 6th out of 626 OTs on PFF and this season he's graded out at a 75.5 which is good for 64th out of 635 qualifying OTs.
Ryan Carr (Columbia)
Listed at 6-4, 290 lbs. RS sophomore, 2 years of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at La Salle College HS in Lansdale, PA.
Carr was the HS teammate of Samuel Brown at La Salle and has taken over the starting role at LT this season for Columbia. He's graded out very well, posting a 75.3 grade (66th out of 635 qualifying OTs). Rarely do Ivy League guys leave school before they graduate, but he's someone to monitor.
JT Cornelius (Monmouth)
Listed at 6-6, 290 lbs. RS junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Southern Regional HS in Manahawkin, NJ.
Cornelius is another guy that I've mentioned in the past, he's started the past 3 seasons for Monmouth at RT and LT. This year he's graded out at 73.1, which is good for 92nd out of 635 qualifying OTs.
Kyle Brown (Dartmouth)
Listed at 6-5, 295 lbs. RS junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Marcellus HS in Marcellus, NY.
Brown has had a breakout season in 2024, with an incredible PFF grade of 85.5 which ranks 2nd out of 658 qualifying OGs. He's started every game this season at LG, and spent 2023 starting at both RG and LT.
Mike Entwistle (Harvard)
Listed at 6-2, 295 lbs. RS junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, NJ.
Entwistle has started each of the last two seasons for Harvard at LG. He's graded out very well on PFF, posting a 74.4 grade (33rd out of 658 qualifying OGs).
Defense
DT
Tyree Morris (Lafayette)
Listed at 6-6, 273 lbs. RS sophomore, 2 years of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Mechanicsburg HS in Mechanicsburg, PA.
Morris is in his first year starting for the Leopards and he's put up 54 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, 2 sacks, 1 FF and 4 PBUs from his DT position. His PFF grade has been stellar at an 85.1 which is good for 12th out of 931 qualifying DTs. His 91.2 run defense grade is good for 2nd out of 931 qualifying DTs. His best game of the season came against Bucknell when he tallied 8 tackles, 1.5 TFLs, 1 sack and 1 PBU.
Elijah St John (LIU)
Listed at 6-1, 275 lbs. True sophomore, 2 years of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Clearwater Academy International but is from Ottawa, Ontario.
St John is a little undersized but has amassed 34 tackles, 2 TFLs, 1 sack, 2 FFs and a blocked kick as a true sophomore. He played HS at the same school as current Scarlet Knights Antwan Raymond and Wesley Bailey. St John has had a fantastic PFF grade this season with an 83.8 grade (21st out of 931 qualifying DTs) and his 83.3 pass rush grade is 7th best out of all DTs. St John won NEC Defensive player of the week for his performance against Rhode Island when he had 4 pressues, 10 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack and 1 FF.
Sebastian Regis (Stony Brook)
Listed at 6-1, 260 lbs. True freshman, 3 years of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at East Islip HS in East Islip, NY.
Regis has made an impact on one of the best DLs in the FCS (Stony Brook) as a true freshman, where he's totalled 17 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, 1 sack, 1 FF, 1 FR and 1 TD. Regis was a standout wrestler in HS, winning the NY state title at heavyweight as a junior in HS before giving up wrestling to focus on football. PFF has liked what they have seen out of Regis, grading him out at a 79.5 (48th out of 931 qualifying DTs).
DE
Eric O'Neill (James Madison)
Listed at 6-3, 250 lbs. RS junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Tottenville HS in Staten Island, NY.
O'Neill is a guy I highlighted in past years after two standout seasons at LIU. In 2022 he was a finalist for the Jerry Rice award (freshman of the year in FCS), a freshman All-American, 1st Team All-NEC and NEC Defensive Rookie of the Year. In 2023 he was an FCS All-American, 2023 Northeast Conference Defensive Player of the Year and 1st Team All-NEC. Here's the numbers he put up...
He ended up entering the portal and transferring to JMU and he picked up right where he left off...
No clue why we didn't pursue last off-season, but but if he re-enters the portal we need to be all over this kid
Jack Dunkley (Duquesne)
Listed at 6-4, 290 lbs. True sophomore, 2 years of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Neshaminy HS in Penndel, PA.
Dunkley has had a breakout 2024 season, posting the 5th most sacks per game of any FCS player (0.94) as just a true sophomore. On the season, he's posted 22 tackles, 10.5 TFLs, 8.5 sacks, 2 FFs and 1 PBU. He's graded out fairly well at a 68.0 (417th out of 893 qualifying DEs). His best game of the season came against Robert Morris when he had 3 sacks and a FF last week.
AJ Pena (Rhode Island)
Listed at 6-2, 243 lbs. True junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Somerville HS in Somerville, NJ.
Pena has been a multi-year standout for the Rams, with three straight very productive seasons at Rhode Island...
While he is a bit undersized for a DE, he's been extremely productive for the Rams.
Noah Miles (Howard)
Listed at 6-4, 250 lbs. True junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Hillsborough HS in Tampa, FL.
Miles is familiar with Rutgers, playing us week 1 of this past year. Miles has totalled 32 tackles, 9.5 TFLs, 7 sacks, 1 FF, 1 PBU and 1 blocked kick this season. His PFF grade hasn't been great, at a 64.4 (560th out of 893 qualifying DEs)
Melkart Abou-Jaoude (Delaware)
Listed at 6-5, 260 lbs. True junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Newton HS in Newton, NJ.
Abou-Jaoude is in his first full season as a starter for the Blue Hens and has put up 21 tackles, 9 TFLs and 8 sacks. His PFF grade has been pretty good at a 74.9 (162nd out of 893 qualifying DEs).
LB
Cole Kozlowski (Colgate)
Listed at 6-2, 230 lbs. True junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Manasquan HS in Manasquan, NJ.
Not to be confused with former Rutgers OL of the same name, Kozlowski is 2nd in the FCS in tackles this season, with 117 tackles, 8 TFLs, 3.5 sacks, 1 FF, 1 INT and 4 PBUs. Kozlowski has graded out well on PFF, with a 75.4 grade which ranks 149th out of 795 qualifying LBs. He also was named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week twice this year (9/16 and 10/19). His best game o the season was against FBS Akron when he totalled 13 tackles, 4.5 TFLs and 2 sacks.
Shane Hartzell (Villanova)
Listed at 6-0, 230 lbs. RS junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Pennridge HS in Perkasie, PA.
Hartzell has started every game the past 3 seasons for the Wildcats and put up three very productive seasons...
His best game of the season came against New Hampshire, when he put up 20 tackles and 2 TFLs. He also had 7 tackles, 1.5 TFLs, 1 sack and 1 FF against Villanova's sole FBS opponent this year (@ Maryland)
Ty Davis (Delaware)
Listed at 6-3, 215 lbs. RS junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Lenape HS in Mount Laurel, NJ.
Davis has been a 3 year starter for the Blue Hens as WLB. This season he's totalled 37 tackles, 4 TFLs, 2 sacks, 2 INTs and 4 PBUs. His PFF grade has been excellent, putting up an 83.5 grade (33rd out of 795 qualifying LBs).
Carter Glassmyer (Richmond)
Listed at 6-1, 210 lbs. RS sophomore, 2 years of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Central York HS in Central York, PA. Spent 2022 and 2023 at St Francis (PA).
Glassmyer was a standout LB as a RS freshman at St Francis in 2023, where he was a Jerry Rice award finalist, 1st Team All-NEC and an FCS Freshman All-American. He posted 90 tackles with 6.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, 1 FF in 2023. He transferred to Richmond and picked up where he left off, with 62 tackles, 6 TFLs, 2 sacks, 1 FF and 3 PBUs. He's graded out excellently on PFF at an 82.0 (44th out of 795 qualifying LBs).
CB
Kenny Selby (Sacred Heart)
Listed at 5-11, 193 lbs. RS sophomore, 2 years of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at St. Augustine Prep in Richland, NJ.
Selby has had a fantastic year according to PFF grading, posting an 86.5 grade (6th out of 844 qualifying CBs) and totalled 32 tackles, 1 TFL, 6 PBUs and 1 FF on the season. Selby was a part time starter in 2023 but started every game in 2024. He's allowed just a 51.4% catch rate this season on 35 targets and only 1 TD all season. There were 3 games this season where he wasn't targeted at all.
Carter McFadden (Columbia)
Listed at 5-11, 180 lbs. RS junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Montgomery HS in Montgomery, NJ.
McFadden has started every game for Columbia the past two seasons at CB and was a key reserve in 2022. This season he's totalled 37 tackles, 3 INTs and 13 PBUs. He's also the primary punt returned and was the primary kickoff returner in 2023. PFF wise, he's graded well with his highest graded season coming in 2024 with a 77.9 (86th out of 844 qualifying CBs).
Cam Jones (Holy Cross)
Listed at 6-0, 195 lbs. RS freshman, 3 years of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Wilson HS in Reading, PA.
Jones has had a very good first year of college football, starting every game for the Crusaders and totalling 48 tackles, 1 INT and 9 PBUs on the season. In his lone game against an FBS opponent, he held his own @ Syracuse with 5 tackles, 0.5 TFLs and 2 PBUs (along with his 2nd highest game grade on the season with an 84.0). On the season, PFF has given him high marks with a 77.3 grade (103rd out of 844 qualifying CBs).
S
Nick Peltekian (Lehigh)
Listed at 6-0, 210 lbs. RS sophomore, 2 years of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Mahwah HS in Mahwah, NJ. Also attended a prep year at Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, MA.
Peltekian has had an incredible 2024 season, amassing 56 tackles, 1 FF, 3 INTs , 1 TD and 1 PBU. In his first year as a starter in 2023, he totalled 91 tackles, 4 TFLs, 5 PBUs and 1 FF. Peltekian has graded out as PFF's #1 safety on the season, with a 91.9 grade (1st out of 906 qualifying safeties). To say we should be all over this guy if he enters the portal is an understatement.
KT Seay (Delaware)
Listed at 6-2, 189 lbs. RS sophomore, 2 years of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Maury HS in Norfolk, VA.
Seay is in his 2nd season starting at safety for the Blue Hens. This season he's totalled 30 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack, 4 INTs and 2 PBUs on the year. PFF has also graded him out spectacularly, with an 89.9 grade (4th out of 906 qualifying safeties).
Ryan Moore (Sacred Heart)
Listed at 6-2, 189 lbs. RS sophomore, 2 years of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at La Salle College HS in Lansdale, PA.
Another of Samuel Brown's HS teammates is having a ton of success in the FCS, with Moore totalling 21 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 INTs, 4 PBUs and 1 FF on the year. He's graded out at an 83.2, which places him 37th out of 906 qualifying safeties on PFF.
2023 SPECULATIVE Portal Targets (11/21 UPDATE: FIRST PORTAL SZN OFFER!)
I did a post like this last year, where I dove into some of the top players from the lower levels (G5/FCS) who have NJ/RU ties of some sort. Here's that thread from last year. Some of the players we identified early last year were: QB Tony Muskett (Monmouth) -> UVA. Just led UVA to a win at #10...
rutgers.forums.rivals.com
Potential Transfer Portal Targets (PURE SPECULATION) (NEW NAMES ADDED)
Just want to reiterate that this is PURELY SPECULATION on my part, but wanted to get together a list of guys that might be worth pursuing if they hit the portal in the offseason. These are guys who may have a tie to the area or to Rutgers and might want to step up a level, come closer to home or...
rutgers.forums.rivals.com
I'll pat myself on the back, the first guy I highlighted last year was Dymere Miller and he's our leading WR this season. Let's first go through position by position and assess a need at each position group...
QB
Need: 0.
Rutgers has it's starter for next season in Athan Kaliakmanis and the heir apparent in AJ Surace behind him, with Ajani Sheppard as a depth QB as well.
RB
Need: 0-1.
Kyle Monangai is out of eligibility after this season but there is quality depth behind him with Samuel Brown, Antwan Raymond and Jashon Benjamin, with 4 star true freshman John Forster coming in the 2025 recruiting class. Two reasons why this isn't a 0/10...
1) Samuel Brown has suffered his 2nd season ending injury in the past three seasons, I doubt he's back at 100% by next season
2) The staff recently offered another RB in the 2025 class, so they clearly are interested in adding a RB
WR
Need: 0-1.
Rutgers is also in a very good situation long term at WR, with KJ Duff and Ian Strong clearly being the 1/2 punch of the future. Throw in Famah Toure and Ben Black as guys the staff really likes and you have a very good young core. It would be great to add a veteran pass catcher to round out this group, but it's a luxury item.
TE
Need: 0-1.
Kenny Fletcher had an up and down first season as a starter and unfortunately was lost for the season with an injury. The rest of the group (Logan Blake, Mike Higgins, etc) haven't shown a ton either. Rutgrs would use a TE, but It's not near the top of the need list
OL
Need: 1-3.
Hollin Pierce's graduation will leave a gaping hole on the left side of this offensive line. The rest of the starting OL (Bryan Felter, Gus Zilinskas, Kobe Asamoah, Tyler Needham) all have eligibility remaining. LT is an obvious need and upgrading depth behind starters should be a key.
DL
Need: 2-4.
This is probably the biggest area of need this off-season. Rutgers will be losing the majority of it's two deep from a unit that didn't perform up to expectations in 2024 so far (Aaron Lewis, Kyonte Hamilton, Malcolm Ray, Troy Rainey), but Wesley Bailey could return if he wanted which would be a big boost to this unit next year. Regardless, this is a unit that needs a talent infusion in the portal.
LB
Need: 1-2.
Rutgers will lose Tyreem Powell in the off-season, who has been a standout performer when healthy for 4 seasons at RU. They return Mohamed Toure, but he will be coming off of an ACL injury and the LB play has left a lot to be desired this season.
CB
Need: 1-2.
Rutgers loses it's CB1 and CB2 after this season in Robert Longerbeam and Eric Rogers, with Al-Shadee Salaam and Bo Mascoe likely pencilled in as the likely starters next year as things currently stand. Schiano has shown he has a great eye for DBs and has recruited the position well at the HS ranks. But adding a proven CB to this group would help the young guys along.
S
Need: 1-2.
Rutgers loses it's top three safeties in terms of snap counts after this season in Flip Dixon, Desmond Igbinuson and Shaquon Loyal. No position group gets hit harder this off-season than the safety room. Kaj Sanders is the obvious choice to take one of the safety spots this off-season, but Rutgers could really use a couple more safeties to solidify this unit.
So in terms of needs, Rutgers needs between 6 on the low end and 16 on the high end in terms of transfers this off-season (it will be closer to the low end than the high end I'm sure). Here are some realistic players that make sense for Rutgers to target in the hypothetical scenario that they enter the portal:
Potential Portal Targets (Offense)
RB
David Avit (Villanova)
Listed at 6-0, 220 lbs. True freshman, 3 years of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Winston Churchill HS in Potomac, MD.
Avit leads Villanova in rushing yards and TDs this season as a true freshman, with 126 carries for 716 yards and 7 TDs. He added another 3 catches for 35 yards through the air. He became the lead back mid-way through the season, receiving only 24 carries in the first (6/game) and averaging 17 carries/game over the last 6 games. His best game of the season came against Stony Brook, when he totalled 13 carries for 183 yards and 4 TDs. His PFF grade has been excellent, grading at an 85.2 (30th out of 484 qualifying RBs). Avit's brother plays WR for Maryland (Ezekiel Avit).
Zach Palmer-Smith (Richmond)
Listed at 6-0, 205 lbs. True junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Delran HS in Delran, NJ. He previously spent two seasons at Wagner.
He played against Rutgers in 2023 when he played for Wagner, so the staff has seen him up close. He's really taken his game to the next level in 2024, totalling 189 rushes for 980 yards and 10 TDs and another 6 catches for 35 yards and a TD through the air. He's graded out well at a 79.6 (82nd out of 486 qualifying RBs).
WR
Josh Derry (Monmouth)
Listed at 5-9, 175 lbs. True sophomore, 2 years of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Concordia Prep in Towson, MD.
Could Rutgers go back to the well at Monmouth this year for another Hawks WR? Josh Derry has been one of the leading WRs in the FCS this year, averaging almost 100 yards per game on the season (94.4), On the season he has 47 receptions for 754 yards and 4 TDs in 8 games. This is including a 7 catch, 107 yard performance in Monmouth's shocking win at FBS FIU this year and a 7 catch, 227 yard and 2 TD performance against Maine. He missed 2 games this season due to injury. His PFF grade has been phenomenal, posting an 83.1 grade, which ranks 24th out of 1062 qualifying WRs)
TJ Speight (Monmouth)
Listed at 5-11, 170 lbs. RS junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Meade HS in Forte Meade, MD.
Yes, another Monmouth Hawk on this list. TJ Speight is another WR who has put up good numbers (47 catches for 625 yards and 6 TDs in 10 games) in this Monmouth offense. He's also graded out on PFF with a 79.5 grade, which is good for 55th out of 1062 qualifying WRs.
Elijah Steward (Lafayette)
Listed at 5-10, 179 lbs. True junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Holy Spirit HS in Galloway, NJ.
Steward has caught 34 balls for 513 yards and 1 TD this season for Lafayette, while only playing in 6 games. He had a 15 catch, 244 yard and 1 TD game against Monmouth this year but missed 4 games due to injury. Despite this, he still leads the team in catches and yards. His PFF grade is extremely good, at a 82.2 which is 32nd out of 1062 qualifying WRs. Steward also led Lafayette in receiving last year in receptions (52), receiving yards (738) and TDs (5).
Jimmy Kibble (Georgetown)
Listed at 6-1, 200 lbs. True junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Loudon County HS in Leesburg, VA.
Kibble leads Georgetown in receptions (41), receiving yards (634) and TDs (3) in just 8 games. His best game of the season came against Columbia, where he put up 10/164. His PFF grade is stellar, at an 83.0 which is 25th out of 1062 qualifying WRs. Kibble also led Georgetown in receiving yards and TDs in 2023, when he put up 33/753/8, with a 22.8 yards per catch average 👀
Max Mosey (Holy Cross)
Listed at 6-1, 200 lbs. True junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Central Dauphin HS in Harrisburg, PA.
Mosey leads Holy Cross in receiving yards in 2024 with 657 in 10 games. His PFF grade is extremely good, at a 82.5 which is 30th out of 1062 qualifying WRs.
TE
Justin Joly (NC State)
Listed at 6-3, 235 lbs. RS junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Iona Prep in New Rochelle, NY.
Justin Joly was a bit of a white whale last off-season, the HS teammate of Rutgers backup QB was the lone bright spot on UConn's offense, tallying 56 catches for 578 and 2 TDs as a RS SO. This year, he's been an impact receiver for NC State, leading the team in receiving yards (565) and 2nd in TDs (3) and receptions (34). He's averaging a staggering 16.6 yards/catch at TE in the ACC. He's been a standout on PFF in his career, with his 2024 grade at a 71.0 (50th out of 497 qualifying TEs). NC State has had a bit of a disappointing 2024 season, if he enters the portal we should jump all over him.
OL
Ryder Langsdale (Lafayette)
Listed at 6-7, 298 lbs. RS junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Ridgewood HS in Ridgewood, NJ.
Finished last season 3rd Team All-American and entered this season 1st Team All-Patriot league. He's another guy I highlighted last year, but never entered the portal. He has started every game the last 3 seasons for Lafayette at left tackle. Last year he graded out at 86.6, which was 6th out of 626 OTs on PFF and this season he's graded out at a 75.5 which is good for 64th out of 635 qualifying OTs.
Ryan Carr (Columbia)
Listed at 6-4, 290 lbs. RS sophomore, 2 years of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at La Salle College HS in Lansdale, PA.
Carr was the HS teammate of Samuel Brown at La Salle and has taken over the starting role at LT this season for Columbia. He's graded out very well, posting a 75.3 grade (66th out of 635 qualifying OTs). Rarely do Ivy League guys leave school before they graduate, but he's someone to monitor.
JT Cornelius (Monmouth)
Listed at 6-6, 290 lbs. RS junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Southern Regional HS in Manahawkin, NJ.
Cornelius is another guy that I've mentioned in the past, he's started the past 3 seasons for Monmouth at RT and LT. This year he's graded out at 73.1, which is good for 92nd out of 635 qualifying OTs.
Kyle Brown (Dartmouth)
Listed at 6-5, 295 lbs. RS junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Marcellus HS in Marcellus, NY.
Brown has had a breakout season in 2024, with an incredible PFF grade of 85.5 which ranks 2nd out of 658 qualifying OGs. He's started every game this season at LG, and spent 2023 starting at both RG and LT.
Mike Entwistle (Harvard)
Listed at 6-2, 295 lbs. RS junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, NJ.
Entwistle has started each of the last two seasons for Harvard at LG. He's graded out very well on PFF, posting a 74.4 grade (33rd out of 658 qualifying OGs).
Defense
DT
Tyree Morris (Lafayette)
Listed at 6-6, 273 lbs. RS sophomore, 2 years of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Mechanicsburg HS in Mechanicsburg, PA.
Morris is in his first year starting for the Leopards and he's put up 54 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, 2 sacks, 1 FF and 4 PBUs from his DT position. His PFF grade has been stellar at an 85.1 which is good for 12th out of 931 qualifying DTs. His 91.2 run defense grade is good for 2nd out of 931 qualifying DTs. His best game of the season came against Bucknell when he tallied 8 tackles, 1.5 TFLs, 1 sack and 1 PBU.
Elijah St John (LIU)
Listed at 6-1, 275 lbs. True sophomore, 2 years of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Clearwater Academy International but is from Ottawa, Ontario.
St John is a little undersized but has amassed 34 tackles, 2 TFLs, 1 sack, 2 FFs and a blocked kick as a true sophomore. He played HS at the same school as current Scarlet Knights Antwan Raymond and Wesley Bailey. St John has had a fantastic PFF grade this season with an 83.8 grade (21st out of 931 qualifying DTs) and his 83.3 pass rush grade is 7th best out of all DTs. St John won NEC Defensive player of the week for his performance against Rhode Island when he had 4 pressues, 10 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack and 1 FF.
Sebastian Regis (Stony Brook)
Listed at 6-1, 260 lbs. True freshman, 3 years of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at East Islip HS in East Islip, NY.
Regis has made an impact on one of the best DLs in the FCS (Stony Brook) as a true freshman, where he's totalled 17 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, 1 sack, 1 FF, 1 FR and 1 TD. Regis was a standout wrestler in HS, winning the NY state title at heavyweight as a junior in HS before giving up wrestling to focus on football. PFF has liked what they have seen out of Regis, grading him out at a 79.5 (48th out of 931 qualifying DTs).
DE
Eric O'Neill (James Madison)
Listed at 6-3, 250 lbs. RS junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Tottenville HS in Staten Island, NY.
O'Neill is a guy I highlighted in past years after two standout seasons at LIU. In 2022 he was a finalist for the Jerry Rice award (freshman of the year in FCS), a freshman All-American, 1st Team All-NEC and NEC Defensive Rookie of the Year. In 2023 he was an FCS All-American, 2023 Northeast Conference Defensive Player of the Year and 1st Team All-NEC. Here's the numbers he put up...
| Season | PFF Grade | Tackles | TFLs | Sacks | FFs | PBUs |
| 2022 (LIU) | 88.2 (18th/858) | 51 | 21 | 10 | 2 | 1 |
| 2023 (LIU) | 82.0 (28th/883) | 80 | 23.5 | 5.5 | 1 | 4 |
He ended up entering the portal and transferring to JMU and he picked up right where he left off...
| Season | PFF Grade | Tackles | TFLs | Sacks | FFs | PBUs |
| 2024 (JMU) 9 games | 89.8 (12th/893) | 26 | 11 | 6.5 | 0 | 2 |
No clue why we didn't pursue last off-season, but but if he re-enters the portal we need to be all over this kid
Jack Dunkley (Duquesne)
Listed at 6-4, 290 lbs. True sophomore, 2 years of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Neshaminy HS in Penndel, PA.
Dunkley has had a breakout 2024 season, posting the 5th most sacks per game of any FCS player (0.94) as just a true sophomore. On the season, he's posted 22 tackles, 10.5 TFLs, 8.5 sacks, 2 FFs and 1 PBU. He's graded out fairly well at a 68.0 (417th out of 893 qualifying DEs). His best game of the season came against Robert Morris when he had 3 sacks and a FF last week.
AJ Pena (Rhode Island)
Listed at 6-2, 243 lbs. True junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Somerville HS in Somerville, NJ.
Pena has been a multi-year standout for the Rams, with three straight very productive seasons at Rhode Island...
| Season | PFF Grade | Tackles | TFLs | Sacks | FFs | PBUs |
| 2022 (11 games) | 72.3 (72nd/858) | 22 | 6.5 | 5.5 | 0 | 1 |
| 2023 (11 games) | 81.7 (67th/836) | 59 | 15.5 | 9 | 2 | 4 |
| 2024 (10 games) | 77.8 (91st/893) | 60 | 15 | 8 | 0 | 2 |
While he is a bit undersized for a DE, he's been extremely productive for the Rams.
Noah Miles (Howard)
Listed at 6-4, 250 lbs. True junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Hillsborough HS in Tampa, FL.
Miles is familiar with Rutgers, playing us week 1 of this past year. Miles has totalled 32 tackles, 9.5 TFLs, 7 sacks, 1 FF, 1 PBU and 1 blocked kick this season. His PFF grade hasn't been great, at a 64.4 (560th out of 893 qualifying DEs)
Melkart Abou-Jaoude (Delaware)
Listed at 6-5, 260 lbs. True junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Newton HS in Newton, NJ.
Abou-Jaoude is in his first full season as a starter for the Blue Hens and has put up 21 tackles, 9 TFLs and 8 sacks. His PFF grade has been pretty good at a 74.9 (162nd out of 893 qualifying DEs).
LB
Cole Kozlowski (Colgate)
Listed at 6-2, 230 lbs. True junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Manasquan HS in Manasquan, NJ.
Not to be confused with former Rutgers OL of the same name, Kozlowski is 2nd in the FCS in tackles this season, with 117 tackles, 8 TFLs, 3.5 sacks, 1 FF, 1 INT and 4 PBUs. Kozlowski has graded out well on PFF, with a 75.4 grade which ranks 149th out of 795 qualifying LBs. He also was named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week twice this year (9/16 and 10/19). His best game o the season was against FBS Akron when he totalled 13 tackles, 4.5 TFLs and 2 sacks.
Shane Hartzell (Villanova)
Listed at 6-0, 230 lbs. RS junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Pennridge HS in Perkasie, PA.
Hartzell has started every game the past 3 seasons for the Wildcats and put up three very productive seasons...
| Season | PFF Grade | Tackles | TFLs | Sacks | FFs | PBUs |
| 2022 (11 games) | 82.5 (41st/787) | 74 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 (12 games) | 89.9 (7th/778 | 91 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 2024 (10 games) | 84.2 (29th/795) | 92 | 6.5 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
His best game of the season came against New Hampshire, when he put up 20 tackles and 2 TFLs. He also had 7 tackles, 1.5 TFLs, 1 sack and 1 FF against Villanova's sole FBS opponent this year (@ Maryland)
Ty Davis (Delaware)
Listed at 6-3, 215 lbs. RS junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Lenape HS in Mount Laurel, NJ.
Davis has been a 3 year starter for the Blue Hens as WLB. This season he's totalled 37 tackles, 4 TFLs, 2 sacks, 2 INTs and 4 PBUs. His PFF grade has been excellent, putting up an 83.5 grade (33rd out of 795 qualifying LBs).
Carter Glassmyer (Richmond)
Listed at 6-1, 210 lbs. RS sophomore, 2 years of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Central York HS in Central York, PA. Spent 2022 and 2023 at St Francis (PA).
Glassmyer was a standout LB as a RS freshman at St Francis in 2023, where he was a Jerry Rice award finalist, 1st Team All-NEC and an FCS Freshman All-American. He posted 90 tackles with 6.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, 1 FF in 2023. He transferred to Richmond and picked up where he left off, with 62 tackles, 6 TFLs, 2 sacks, 1 FF and 3 PBUs. He's graded out excellently on PFF at an 82.0 (44th out of 795 qualifying LBs).
CB
Kenny Selby (Sacred Heart)
Listed at 5-11, 193 lbs. RS sophomore, 2 years of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at St. Augustine Prep in Richland, NJ.
Selby has had a fantastic year according to PFF grading, posting an 86.5 grade (6th out of 844 qualifying CBs) and totalled 32 tackles, 1 TFL, 6 PBUs and 1 FF on the season. Selby was a part time starter in 2023 but started every game in 2024. He's allowed just a 51.4% catch rate this season on 35 targets and only 1 TD all season. There were 3 games this season where he wasn't targeted at all.
Carter McFadden (Columbia)
Listed at 5-11, 180 lbs. RS junior, 1 year of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Montgomery HS in Montgomery, NJ.
McFadden has started every game for Columbia the past two seasons at CB and was a key reserve in 2022. This season he's totalled 37 tackles, 3 INTs and 13 PBUs. He's also the primary punt returned and was the primary kickoff returner in 2023. PFF wise, he's graded well with his highest graded season coming in 2024 with a 77.9 (86th out of 844 qualifying CBs).
Cam Jones (Holy Cross)
Listed at 6-0, 195 lbs. RS freshman, 3 years of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Wilson HS in Reading, PA.
Jones has had a very good first year of college football, starting every game for the Crusaders and totalling 48 tackles, 1 INT and 9 PBUs on the season. In his lone game against an FBS opponent, he held his own @ Syracuse with 5 tackles, 0.5 TFLs and 2 PBUs (along with his 2nd highest game grade on the season with an 84.0). On the season, PFF has given him high marks with a 77.3 grade (103rd out of 844 qualifying CBs).
S
Nick Peltekian (Lehigh)
Listed at 6-0, 210 lbs. RS sophomore, 2 years of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Mahwah HS in Mahwah, NJ. Also attended a prep year at Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, MA.
Peltekian has had an incredible 2024 season, amassing 56 tackles, 1 FF, 3 INTs , 1 TD and 1 PBU. In his first year as a starter in 2023, he totalled 91 tackles, 4 TFLs, 5 PBUs and 1 FF. Peltekian has graded out as PFF's #1 safety on the season, with a 91.9 grade (1st out of 906 qualifying safeties). To say we should be all over this guy if he enters the portal is an understatement.
KT Seay (Delaware)
Listed at 6-2, 189 lbs. RS sophomore, 2 years of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at Maury HS in Norfolk, VA.
Seay is in his 2nd season starting at safety for the Blue Hens. This season he's totalled 30 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack, 4 INTs and 2 PBUs on the year. PFF has also graded him out spectacularly, with an 89.9 grade (4th out of 906 qualifying safeties).
Ryan Moore (Sacred Heart)
Listed at 6-2, 189 lbs. RS sophomore, 2 years of eligibility remaining. Went to HS at La Salle College HS in Lansdale, PA.
Another of Samuel Brown's HS teammates is having a ton of success in the FCS, with Moore totalling 21 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 INTs, 4 PBUs and 1 FF on the year. He's graded out at an 83.2, which places him 37th out of 906 qualifying safeties on PFF.
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