Fat Cat Top Five
Top Five RU TEs since 2007
5.) Paul Carrezola
4.) Shamar Graves
3.) D.C. Jefferson
2.) Kevin Brock
1.) Tyler Kroft
Bobby's Crystal Ball
Rutgers QB competition will continue into the summer without a starter being named at the end of spring
Recruiting Tidbits
QB Anthony Brown - St John Vianney
During his personal visit to campus last week, the junior quarterback got some one-on-one time with the new OC Ben McDaniels and talked about the transition to the pro style offense since he mainly takes snaps from the shotgun formation at St. John Vianney.
"We got to know each other because he coached wide receivers last year so he didn't know me," Brown said of McDaniels. "We got to talk about how I feel and what he's about and how they feel about me. I can go under center but it's just the fact that I play for a school that doesn't go under center too much. But I can fit in so many offenses. They (Rutgers) run something different compared to other schools that have moved into new generations of offenses."
The Rutgers staff was also very honest on where it stands with the Jersey Shore QB.
"Coach Rossi kept it straight with me. They're really interested in me but they have to get to know me for them to really offer me," Brown said. "Speaking with Coach Flood was good, it opened my eyes up to how recruiting is. He told me that not everyone is going to get offered in an instance like that. Schools tend to wait longer on the quarterback position and they're really interested in me and the offering period just takes some time. And they already saw me throw, so they just want to get to know me."
Brown will visit Wake Forest April 11th and he'll also visit Temple in the near future. With quarterbacks tending to commit earlier than other positions, Brown knows that he can't drag out this process. Already holding offers from Syracuse, Wake Forest, Northwestern and Temple amongst others, Rutgers could find itself firmly in the race for Brown's commitment if they choose to offer. Time may be of the essence.
DE Karamou Dioubate - Prep Charter (Pa.)
Yesterday, the four-star Dioubate revealed to Rivals.com his top five of Rutgers, Miami, Ohio State, Michigan State and Penn State. Scarlet Nation has also learned that Rutgers is doing very well with Dioubate and that communication and potential visits are expected to increase in the very near future.
WR Kobay White - Bishop McDevitt (Pa.)
White (6-foot, 190 pounds) is another WR target that hasn't been talked about as frequently, but has many ties to the Scarlet Knights. RU tudent Assistant Coach Sean Barowski went to the same high school and White considers Barowski "a big brother," having a relationship since grade school. White is native of Harrisburg, the hometown of Rutgers RB Rob Martin and the two have also known each other since their youth.
White has been in contact with Recruiting Coordinator EJ Barthel as well as his area recruiter Norries Wilson and will visit Rutgers the end of this month. White caught 72 passes for over 1,200 yards and 15 touchdowns last fall for the Central PA powerhouse.
RB Malik Staples - Peachtree Ridge (Ga.)
Rutgers has started recruiting the 6-foot-1, 205-pound junior who has already pulled in 18 offers, including ones from Iowa, Oregon State, Louisville and Georgia Tech among others. Although Rutgers has just jumped into the mix, the Scarlet Knights are already on good ground with Staples.
"I just got off the phone with Rutgers [recruiting coordinator EJ Barthel]," Staples said last night. "He just told me that all I have to do is go up on campus and I will have an offer from Rutgers. I just have to get up there."
Staples also said if that offer comes in, he would strongly consider Rutgers as a landing spot.
TE Nakia Griffin - Tenafly
The Rutgers commit is hard at work prepping for his upcoming season in the Big Ten. He is working out withe fellow commit Mike Dare as the two are already building chemistry in the passing game. Griffin will not have to come in with the common issue of needing to add weight, which affects a lot of freshman tight ends.
"The coaches told me 230 [pounds] would be an ideal weight," Griffin said. "Obviously good weight, but I think I will be a little bit more than that when I get there just because of how big my frame is and how hard I am working right now. I am about 234 [pounds] so I am not going to worry about gaining weight. My main focus is getting stronger."
Look for an upcoming article on Griffin later in the day on Scarlet Nation.
Recruiting Notes
The duo of Camden stars WR Brad Hawkins and DE Ron Johnson along with Cedar Creek WR Ahmir Mitchell were scheduled to visit Notre Dame and Michigan this weekend. The current forecast for snow on Friday and Saturday has forced the group to reschedule their Midwest swing for a later date. Johnson and Hawkins are expected to visit Penn State next weekend after Hawkins recently received an offer from the Nittany Lions. Hawkins runs track in the spring but will attempt to get back to the Rutgers campus soon with some of the other targets from the South Jersey school.
Cranford OL Will Fries is scheduled to visit Northwestern, Clemson and South Carolina over his spring break with Tennessee, Alabama and Michigan all close to offering. At this point in the process, Fries seems very open, not leaning towards any one school. He is expected back to Rutgers at some point during spring practice and it was this time last year that the Scarlet Knights issued Fries his first offer.
Union City DL Ulises De Los Santos has been quiet on the recruiting trail as he has been recovering from a broken hand and broken leg suffered in back to back weeks causing him to miss the last six games of his junior season. The Hudson County product is an athletic looking 6-foot-4,265 pounds with the frame to easily add weight. De Los Santos has been in contact with Rutgers, Syracuse, Old Dominion and Penn State recently with plans to visit the Scarlet Knights for a spring practice in April. At this time, De Los Santos' contact with Rutgers has decreased a bit as the staff has been focused on other prospects along the defensive line.
Rutgers visits
Scarlet Nation has learned from some high school coaches in the area that Rutgers will use the April 24th Spring Game, also known as 'Friday Knight Lights', as another junior day like event. This will give the Rutgers staff a chance to showcase the program under the lights at High Point Solutions Stadium with the Big Ten Network in attendance.
The 3rd annual New Jersey Rivals Camp will be held on Sunday, April 19th at Piscataway High School. In the past, prospects in the area have taken advantage of the proximity to Rutgers to make a visit to the school afterwards and we would expect something similar to occur this year. It was after last year's camp that Ahmir Mitchell swung by the Hale Center and received his offer from Coach Flood.
Eye on Rutgers
The start of spring practice is almost a week away and that means the staff will have to find some new replacements as five starters have moved on from the defense and six starters have moved on from the offense. That seems like a high number and here is a countdown of which positions will be the toughest to fill, beginning with the least to most difficult. Factored into this list is not just the caliber of player that has moved on from last year's team, but also those who are in line to take over.
11. David Milewski (DE) - The fifth-year senior put in a solid effort last year, although waiting in the wings could be one of the best defensive ends that Rutgers has seen in quite a long time. Kemoko Turay looks primed to step in and be an impact player on every down. Had Milewski stayed for a sixth year, it is not likely he would have beat out Turay.
10. Taj Alexander (RT) - He proved to be a formidable starter over the last few seasons, although he did sit out some series last year in favor of J.J. Denman. This year would have likely been a tooth and nail battle between the two for the starting right tackle job. When all is said and done, there doesn't look like there will be much dropoff at the position.
9. Kenneth Kirksey (NG) - Kirksey was tenacious in the trenches but he surrendered a lot of weight to his opponents as an undersized nose guard. Injuries bothered him throughout his Rutgers career and it looks like he will give way to a bigger type of nose guard with a handful of viable candidates hoping to replace him in 2015.
8. Lorenzo Waters (SS) - Waters ended with a banner game in the 2015 Quick Lane Bowl, but he had his share of struggles at times. Waters was better against the run than the pass, playing very much like another linebacker. With Kiy Hester waiting in the wings, the strong safety position looks to be in good shape for the next few years.
7. Kevin Snyder (MLB) - It is not fair to accurately rank Snyder's performance last season as he played through most of the year with a bad case of turf toe. When that injury happened against Penn State, it looked as though Snyder was just hitting his stride. Two transfers will look to replace him as it expects to be a battle between Kaiwan Lewis and Isaiah Johnson.
6. Gareef Glashen (CB) - Glashen quietly had himself a very good senior season. It was probably the best of any RU cornerback since Logan Ryan's 2012 campaign. The cornerback position has been on shaky grounds and with Glashen moving on, it looks to remain unsteady as players like Nadir Barnwell, Dre Boggs, Anthony Cioffi and Dorian Dailey will look to replace Glashen as the team's top corner.
5. Kaleb Johnson (LG) - Johnson's value can be measured in his 50 straight starts at Rutgers. He played left tackle, right tackle and finished up at left guard. Dorian Miller looks to be his replacement at left guard, but RU will really miss having someone who can play a variety of positions and who is as reliable as Johnson has been over the last four years.
4. Tyler Kroft (TE) - Rutgers has not had a prolific receiving tight end like Kroft for the better part of the last decade. He was a very good receiver with the size that created mismatches. RU doesn't have a true replacement for Kroft heading into the spring and it could be a tight end by committee this year as he leaves some big shoes to fill.
3. Michael Burton (FB) - The running game's success last year was largely due to Burton's play as a lead blocker. He was also a reliable pass catcher and arguably the best pure fullback to suit up at Rutgers in a very long time. Regardless of who winds up starting this year, it is doubtful that player will be able to do all the things that Burton did, in addition to being a team leader.
2. Gary Nova (QB) - There is no more important position on the field than quarterback and last season Nova proved very valuable. It's unlikely that Rutgers wins eight games last season without Nova. Now, the staff will have to turn to a starter with very little experience. Replacing Nova may be more difficult than a lot of people expected.
1. Betim Bujari (C) - The center position is one of extreme importance on the offense and there is no definitive heir apparent to Bujari. He handled himself and the offensive line very well last season and now it may take some flipping of positions to replace him. There's a chance it could be first-time center Chris Muller if Derrick Nelson does not earn the confidence of the staff.
Top Five RU TEs since 2007
5.) Paul Carrezola
4.) Shamar Graves
3.) D.C. Jefferson
2.) Kevin Brock
1.) Tyler Kroft
Bobby's Crystal Ball
Rutgers QB competition will continue into the summer without a starter being named at the end of spring
Recruiting Tidbits
QB Anthony Brown - St John Vianney
During his personal visit to campus last week, the junior quarterback got some one-on-one time with the new OC Ben McDaniels and talked about the transition to the pro style offense since he mainly takes snaps from the shotgun formation at St. John Vianney.
"We got to know each other because he coached wide receivers last year so he didn't know me," Brown said of McDaniels. "We got to talk about how I feel and what he's about and how they feel about me. I can go under center but it's just the fact that I play for a school that doesn't go under center too much. But I can fit in so many offenses. They (Rutgers) run something different compared to other schools that have moved into new generations of offenses."
The Rutgers staff was also very honest on where it stands with the Jersey Shore QB.
"Coach Rossi kept it straight with me. They're really interested in me but they have to get to know me for them to really offer me," Brown said. "Speaking with Coach Flood was good, it opened my eyes up to how recruiting is. He told me that not everyone is going to get offered in an instance like that. Schools tend to wait longer on the quarterback position and they're really interested in me and the offering period just takes some time. And they already saw me throw, so they just want to get to know me."
Brown will visit Wake Forest April 11th and he'll also visit Temple in the near future. With quarterbacks tending to commit earlier than other positions, Brown knows that he can't drag out this process. Already holding offers from Syracuse, Wake Forest, Northwestern and Temple amongst others, Rutgers could find itself firmly in the race for Brown's commitment if they choose to offer. Time may be of the essence.
DE Karamou Dioubate - Prep Charter (Pa.)
Yesterday, the four-star Dioubate revealed to Rivals.com his top five of Rutgers, Miami, Ohio State, Michigan State and Penn State. Scarlet Nation has also learned that Rutgers is doing very well with Dioubate and that communication and potential visits are expected to increase in the very near future.
WR Kobay White - Bishop McDevitt (Pa.)
White (6-foot, 190 pounds) is another WR target that hasn't been talked about as frequently, but has many ties to the Scarlet Knights. RU tudent Assistant Coach Sean Barowski went to the same high school and White considers Barowski "a big brother," having a relationship since grade school. White is native of Harrisburg, the hometown of Rutgers RB Rob Martin and the two have also known each other since their youth.
White has been in contact with Recruiting Coordinator EJ Barthel as well as his area recruiter Norries Wilson and will visit Rutgers the end of this month. White caught 72 passes for over 1,200 yards and 15 touchdowns last fall for the Central PA powerhouse.
RB Malik Staples - Peachtree Ridge (Ga.)
Rutgers has started recruiting the 6-foot-1, 205-pound junior who has already pulled in 18 offers, including ones from Iowa, Oregon State, Louisville and Georgia Tech among others. Although Rutgers has just jumped into the mix, the Scarlet Knights are already on good ground with Staples.
"I just got off the phone with Rutgers [recruiting coordinator EJ Barthel]," Staples said last night. "He just told me that all I have to do is go up on campus and I will have an offer from Rutgers. I just have to get up there."
Staples also said if that offer comes in, he would strongly consider Rutgers as a landing spot.
TE Nakia Griffin - Tenafly
The Rutgers commit is hard at work prepping for his upcoming season in the Big Ten. He is working out withe fellow commit Mike Dare as the two are already building chemistry in the passing game. Griffin will not have to come in with the common issue of needing to add weight, which affects a lot of freshman tight ends.
"The coaches told me 230 [pounds] would be an ideal weight," Griffin said. "Obviously good weight, but I think I will be a little bit more than that when I get there just because of how big my frame is and how hard I am working right now. I am about 234 [pounds] so I am not going to worry about gaining weight. My main focus is getting stronger."
Look for an upcoming article on Griffin later in the day on Scarlet Nation.
Recruiting Notes
The duo of Camden stars WR Brad Hawkins and DE Ron Johnson along with Cedar Creek WR Ahmir Mitchell were scheduled to visit Notre Dame and Michigan this weekend. The current forecast for snow on Friday and Saturday has forced the group to reschedule their Midwest swing for a later date. Johnson and Hawkins are expected to visit Penn State next weekend after Hawkins recently received an offer from the Nittany Lions. Hawkins runs track in the spring but will attempt to get back to the Rutgers campus soon with some of the other targets from the South Jersey school.
Cranford OL Will Fries is scheduled to visit Northwestern, Clemson and South Carolina over his spring break with Tennessee, Alabama and Michigan all close to offering. At this point in the process, Fries seems very open, not leaning towards any one school. He is expected back to Rutgers at some point during spring practice and it was this time last year that the Scarlet Knights issued Fries his first offer.
Union City DL Ulises De Los Santos has been quiet on the recruiting trail as he has been recovering from a broken hand and broken leg suffered in back to back weeks causing him to miss the last six games of his junior season. The Hudson County product is an athletic looking 6-foot-4,265 pounds with the frame to easily add weight. De Los Santos has been in contact with Rutgers, Syracuse, Old Dominion and Penn State recently with plans to visit the Scarlet Knights for a spring practice in April. At this time, De Los Santos' contact with Rutgers has decreased a bit as the staff has been focused on other prospects along the defensive line.
Rutgers visits
Scarlet Nation has learned from some high school coaches in the area that Rutgers will use the April 24th Spring Game, also known as 'Friday Knight Lights', as another junior day like event. This will give the Rutgers staff a chance to showcase the program under the lights at High Point Solutions Stadium with the Big Ten Network in attendance.
The 3rd annual New Jersey Rivals Camp will be held on Sunday, April 19th at Piscataway High School. In the past, prospects in the area have taken advantage of the proximity to Rutgers to make a visit to the school afterwards and we would expect something similar to occur this year. It was after last year's camp that Ahmir Mitchell swung by the Hale Center and received his offer from Coach Flood.
Eye on Rutgers
The start of spring practice is almost a week away and that means the staff will have to find some new replacements as five starters have moved on from the defense and six starters have moved on from the offense. That seems like a high number and here is a countdown of which positions will be the toughest to fill, beginning with the least to most difficult. Factored into this list is not just the caliber of player that has moved on from last year's team, but also those who are in line to take over.
11. David Milewski (DE) - The fifth-year senior put in a solid effort last year, although waiting in the wings could be one of the best defensive ends that Rutgers has seen in quite a long time. Kemoko Turay looks primed to step in and be an impact player on every down. Had Milewski stayed for a sixth year, it is not likely he would have beat out Turay.
10. Taj Alexander (RT) - He proved to be a formidable starter over the last few seasons, although he did sit out some series last year in favor of J.J. Denman. This year would have likely been a tooth and nail battle between the two for the starting right tackle job. When all is said and done, there doesn't look like there will be much dropoff at the position.
9. Kenneth Kirksey (NG) - Kirksey was tenacious in the trenches but he surrendered a lot of weight to his opponents as an undersized nose guard. Injuries bothered him throughout his Rutgers career and it looks like he will give way to a bigger type of nose guard with a handful of viable candidates hoping to replace him in 2015.
8. Lorenzo Waters (SS) - Waters ended with a banner game in the 2015 Quick Lane Bowl, but he had his share of struggles at times. Waters was better against the run than the pass, playing very much like another linebacker. With Kiy Hester waiting in the wings, the strong safety position looks to be in good shape for the next few years.
7. Kevin Snyder (MLB) - It is not fair to accurately rank Snyder's performance last season as he played through most of the year with a bad case of turf toe. When that injury happened against Penn State, it looked as though Snyder was just hitting his stride. Two transfers will look to replace him as it expects to be a battle between Kaiwan Lewis and Isaiah Johnson.
6. Gareef Glashen (CB) - Glashen quietly had himself a very good senior season. It was probably the best of any RU cornerback since Logan Ryan's 2012 campaign. The cornerback position has been on shaky grounds and with Glashen moving on, it looks to remain unsteady as players like Nadir Barnwell, Dre Boggs, Anthony Cioffi and Dorian Dailey will look to replace Glashen as the team's top corner.
5. Kaleb Johnson (LG) - Johnson's value can be measured in his 50 straight starts at Rutgers. He played left tackle, right tackle and finished up at left guard. Dorian Miller looks to be his replacement at left guard, but RU will really miss having someone who can play a variety of positions and who is as reliable as Johnson has been over the last four years.
4. Tyler Kroft (TE) - Rutgers has not had a prolific receiving tight end like Kroft for the better part of the last decade. He was a very good receiver with the size that created mismatches. RU doesn't have a true replacement for Kroft heading into the spring and it could be a tight end by committee this year as he leaves some big shoes to fill.
3. Michael Burton (FB) - The running game's success last year was largely due to Burton's play as a lead blocker. He was also a reliable pass catcher and arguably the best pure fullback to suit up at Rutgers in a very long time. Regardless of who winds up starting this year, it is doubtful that player will be able to do all the things that Burton did, in addition to being a team leader.
2. Gary Nova (QB) - There is no more important position on the field than quarterback and last season Nova proved very valuable. It's unlikely that Rutgers wins eight games last season without Nova. Now, the staff will have to turn to a starter with very little experience. Replacing Nova may be more difficult than a lot of people expected.
1. Betim Bujari (C) - The center position is one of extreme importance on the offense and there is no definitive heir apparent to Bujari. He handled himself and the offensive line very well last season and now it may take some flipping of positions to replace him. There's a chance it could be first-time center Chris Muller if Derrick Nelson does not earn the confidence of the staff.
