Recruiting Tidbits:
QB Sam Saxton (St. Michael’s Academy - TX): Rutgers Offensive Coordinator John McNulty was in Texas this week as he stopped by St. Michael’s Academy to watch 2019 QB Sam Saxton workout.
“The workout went great,” Saxton told The Knight Report. “He just wanted me go through my normal workouts I do with my receivers, which consists of every route in the tree. He said he saw everything that he needed to see so that was nice to hear.
“We can’t really talk but he just told me I did a nice job and that quarterbacks like me are hard to find these days - a true pro style quarterback.”
Saxton is expecting a number of other coaches to come by this month as he told TKR that Oregon, Washington State, Oklahoma State, Georgia, Texas, Rice, TCU, A&M, Memphis, Boise State, Princeton, Boston College, Baylor, and Kentucky have all contacted him about coming to see him workout.
DB Connor Greico (St. Joe’s Regional - NJ): One of the top remianing defensive back targets for the Scarlet Knights is Connor Greico out of St. Joe’s Montvale. Right now Rutgers is doing well with him and have pretty much won over his parents. He wants to take a couple more visits before making any decisions, one of which will be to Army later today. We’ll have more on Greico in an article soon.
ATH Zukudo Igwenagu (Worchester Academy - MA): Another one of the Scarlet Knights top defensive targets is Zukudo Igwenagu. He currently holds Rutgers in high regard and has them in the lead still as we reported a couple weeks back. The 6-foot-4 safety visited campus this past weekend with his parents and they all enjoyed the visit but he told TKR that he’ll be taking more visits this summer. He’s started to garner interest from Oregon, Michigan, Boston College, and Maryland.
ATH Osita Smith (Wilde Park - MD) on recent Rutgers offer:
"Coach Erb came down to watch one of my workouts and half hour later he called up and offered me over the phone. Rutgers was a school that showed interest in me early. I’m very humbled to have been offered and look forward to continuing the recruiting process. I plan on visiting in the summer some time."
OL Kaleb Boateng (Fort Lauderdale - FL) on recent Rutgers offer:
“Coach Hales called me up the other day and offered me. He said that they couldn’t wait to further build a relationship and that I was very talented. I don’t know much about Rutgers but I know it’s in New Jersey and they play big boy football.”
The Scarlet Knights basketball staff has also been hot on the recruiting trail sending out offers left and right. Recently, Rutgers offered two local guys that play AAU ball for the New York Jayhawks. The Executive Director of the program Jay David offered his take on his two guys.
'20 PG Andre Curbelo - “6-foot-1 guard with just a great feel for the game. He excels on both sides of the ball and he’s extremely crafty when he needs to be. Along with all of that he also has great vision and sneaky athleticism at only sixteen years old.”
'20 C Zed Key - “He is about 6-foot-8 right now with a 7’2 wingspan. His game is amazing from anywhere within 15 feet of the rim. He also finishes very well, above the rim with either hand.”
Richie’s Rumblings:
Was it the biggest game they won? No. Was it the best team they faced? Also no. But it is a moment that stands out.
It was Nov. 20, 2009 (no I didn’t remember the date...I looked it up). I was a junior in high school and at the Rutgers Athletic Center watching the Rutgers men’s basketball team take on Drexel with my dad. I’ve always been the type of person who is good at calling plays or events before they happen. To this day I keep saying I’d make a good defensive coordinator in football. I tend to be right call offensive plays before the snap.
Anyway…
I remember the game was tied with only a few seconds left in the game and Scarlet Knights head coach Fred Hill Jr. called a timeout. I said to my dad that Greg Echenique was going to get the ball in the paint and score at the buzzer. That’s exactly what happened. Mike Coburn inbounded the ball to Echenique and he put up a little shot as time expired. 58-56 Rutgers. Hill would be fired after the season.
For some reason that moment and that game sticks out to me. I don’t know why. Nonetheless, it happened, I called it, and Rutgers won.
Top 5 Rutgers Football Players Who Could Be Selected in the 2019 NFL Draft
Weekly Offer Update:
With two live periods for basketball and the spring evaluation period for football, both the basketball and football staffs have been hot on the recruiting trail. This past week alone saw the basketball and football teams send out a number of new offers. Here is a look at who added a Rutgers offer this week:
New Basketball Offers:
’19 PG Tyrell Jones (West Oaks Academy - FL)
’19 PG Mylik Wilson (Rayville - LA)
’20 C Zed Key (Brentwood - NY)
’20 C Mark Williams (Norfolk Academy - VA)
’21 AJ Neal (West Oaks Academy - FL)
’21 SG Thomas Notarainni (Cathedral Catholic - CA)
New Football Offers:
Class of 2019:
OL Kaleb Boateng (Fort Lauderdale - FL)
OL Kyle Jornigan (Cardinal Mooney - OH)
DE Calob Dalton (Carrollton - OH)
LB Donald Willis (Garfield Heights - OH)
LB Tommy Eichenberg (St. Ignatius - OH)
DB Nyles Beverly (Nordonia - OH)
DB Brenton Strange (Parkersburg - WV)
ATH Osita Smith (Wilde Lake - MD)
Class of 2020:
RB Jutahn McClain (Fairfield - OH)
OL Reuben Adams (Woodbridge - VA)
LB Courtney Eubanks (Superior Collegiate - FL)
DB Malcolm Greene (Highland Springs - VA)
ATH Jaylon McCluster (Largo - FL)
ATH DeaMonte Trayanum (Bishop Hoban - OH)
Class of 2021:
QB Caleb Williams (Gonzaga - DC)
Team News:
BASKETBALL: We are hearing that the staff is still searching for the right fit for a possible grad transfer. However, that could change should a certain 2019 recruit (Aundre Hyatt) decide to reclassify. Last I talked to him, he told me that he’d make a decision on reclassifying at the end of spring.
FOOTBALL: The hire of DB coach Cory Robinson has been paying off early on the recruiting trail as a number of the South Jersey targets are speaking highly of him. He is also hearing a lot of praise from the coaches due to ability to connect so well with the kids.
WRESTLING:
It was the question everyone wanted to know - where was Austin DeSanto going to end up. The internet was buzzing for nearly a month on what university the sophomore was going to call home for the next three years. Unfortunately for the Scarlet Knight faithful, it was not Rutgers. Now that DeSanto is officially out of the picture, what is next for the Knights as they head into the 2018-19 season.
Of course, the question mark lies in the 125-lb to 141-lb range, due to weight changes and incoming freshmen. Let’s take a look at the possible lower weight options Coach Goodale and his staff will have to choose from.
125-lb: Rumors have been going around that Nick Suriano is changing weight classes. Whether that is true or not remains to be seen. We know one thing is for certain, what weight Nick wants, Nick will get. However, if Nick does choose to make the bump, Rutgers has a wide variety of young, but unproven options. Current freshman, Shane Metzler, appears to be the favorite out of those currently on the roster. Incoming frosh, Nic Aguilar (Gilroy, CA), is no slouch though, and will be a legitimate contender if the position is open.
133-lb: Losing an All-American is never easy, but losing an emotional leader of the team, like Scott DelVecchio, makes it a whole lot harder. If Nick wants to move up a weight (see above). If Suriano chooses to stay down, Goody will have to look to the roster to find the replacement, as no incoming recruits will fit the weight. Zach Firestone, a transfer from Bucknell, will be a viable option to turn to. Peter Lipari has been on the roster for a few years, and could be poised for a breakout season, if given the opportunity. Once again, both of these options do not have the experience the coaches would want, but either of these two could turn into solid long term options.
141: Anthony Ashnault has made it clear that he has his eye on the 149-lb NCAA title. Meaning, another spot opens up for the staff to fill. Michael Van Brill has one full season under his belt, and showed a lot of potential in his redshirt-freshman season. He is most likely the guy this year, but it’s not necessarily a guarantee. Blair Academy start, Malcolm Robinson (Edison, NJ), is a projected 149-lber in college, but wrestled at 145-lbs in his senior season at Blair. Depending on his growth this off-season, he could be a possible challenger for MVB for the 141 slot.
QB Sam Saxton (St. Michael’s Academy - TX): Rutgers Offensive Coordinator John McNulty was in Texas this week as he stopped by St. Michael’s Academy to watch 2019 QB Sam Saxton workout.
“The workout went great,” Saxton told The Knight Report. “He just wanted me go through my normal workouts I do with my receivers, which consists of every route in the tree. He said he saw everything that he needed to see so that was nice to hear.
“We can’t really talk but he just told me I did a nice job and that quarterbacks like me are hard to find these days - a true pro style quarterback.”
Saxton is expecting a number of other coaches to come by this month as he told TKR that Oregon, Washington State, Oklahoma State, Georgia, Texas, Rice, TCU, A&M, Memphis, Boise State, Princeton, Boston College, Baylor, and Kentucky have all contacted him about coming to see him workout.
DB Connor Greico (St. Joe’s Regional - NJ): One of the top remianing defensive back targets for the Scarlet Knights is Connor Greico out of St. Joe’s Montvale. Right now Rutgers is doing well with him and have pretty much won over his parents. He wants to take a couple more visits before making any decisions, one of which will be to Army later today. We’ll have more on Greico in an article soon.
ATH Zukudo Igwenagu (Worchester Academy - MA): Another one of the Scarlet Knights top defensive targets is Zukudo Igwenagu. He currently holds Rutgers in high regard and has them in the lead still as we reported a couple weeks back. The 6-foot-4 safety visited campus this past weekend with his parents and they all enjoyed the visit but he told TKR that he’ll be taking more visits this summer. He’s started to garner interest from Oregon, Michigan, Boston College, and Maryland.
ATH Osita Smith (Wilde Park - MD) on recent Rutgers offer:
"Coach Erb came down to watch one of my workouts and half hour later he called up and offered me over the phone. Rutgers was a school that showed interest in me early. I’m very humbled to have been offered and look forward to continuing the recruiting process. I plan on visiting in the summer some time."
OL Kaleb Boateng (Fort Lauderdale - FL) on recent Rutgers offer:
“Coach Hales called me up the other day and offered me. He said that they couldn’t wait to further build a relationship and that I was very talented. I don’t know much about Rutgers but I know it’s in New Jersey and they play big boy football.”
The Scarlet Knights basketball staff has also been hot on the recruiting trail sending out offers left and right. Recently, Rutgers offered two local guys that play AAU ball for the New York Jayhawks. The Executive Director of the program Jay David offered his take on his two guys.
'20 PG Andre Curbelo - “6-foot-1 guard with just a great feel for the game. He excels on both sides of the ball and he’s extremely crafty when he needs to be. Along with all of that he also has great vision and sneaky athleticism at only sixteen years old.”
'20 C Zed Key - “He is about 6-foot-8 right now with a 7’2 wingspan. His game is amazing from anywhere within 15 feet of the rim. He also finishes very well, above the rim with either hand.”
Richie’s Rumblings:
- Sounds like Rutgers is on the verge of another commitment, and is pushing hard to land another in-state defensive recruit that could decide soon.
Was it the biggest game they won? No. Was it the best team they faced? Also no. But it is a moment that stands out.
It was Nov. 20, 2009 (no I didn’t remember the date...I looked it up). I was a junior in high school and at the Rutgers Athletic Center watching the Rutgers men’s basketball team take on Drexel with my dad. I’ve always been the type of person who is good at calling plays or events before they happen. To this day I keep saying I’d make a good defensive coordinator in football. I tend to be right call offensive plays before the snap.
Anyway…
I remember the game was tied with only a few seconds left in the game and Scarlet Knights head coach Fred Hill Jr. called a timeout. I said to my dad that Greg Echenique was going to get the ball in the paint and score at the buzzer. That’s exactly what happened. Mike Coburn inbounded the ball to Echenique and he put up a little shot as time expired. 58-56 Rutgers. Hill would be fired after the season.
For some reason that moment and that game sticks out to me. I don’t know why. Nonetheless, it happened, I called it, and Rutgers won.
Top 5 Rutgers Football Players Who Could Be Selected in the 2019 NFL Draft
- Tariq Cole
- Blessuan Austin
- Kevin Wilkins
- Isaiah Wharton
- Saquan Hampton
Weekly Offer Update:
With two live periods for basketball and the spring evaluation period for football, both the basketball and football staffs have been hot on the recruiting trail. This past week alone saw the basketball and football teams send out a number of new offers. Here is a look at who added a Rutgers offer this week:
New Basketball Offers:
’19 PG Tyrell Jones (West Oaks Academy - FL)
’19 PG Mylik Wilson (Rayville - LA)
’20 C Zed Key (Brentwood - NY)
’20 C Mark Williams (Norfolk Academy - VA)
’21 AJ Neal (West Oaks Academy - FL)
’21 SG Thomas Notarainni (Cathedral Catholic - CA)
New Football Offers:
Class of 2019:
OL Kaleb Boateng (Fort Lauderdale - FL)
OL Kyle Jornigan (Cardinal Mooney - OH)
DE Calob Dalton (Carrollton - OH)
LB Donald Willis (Garfield Heights - OH)
LB Tommy Eichenberg (St. Ignatius - OH)
DB Nyles Beverly (Nordonia - OH)
DB Brenton Strange (Parkersburg - WV)
ATH Osita Smith (Wilde Lake - MD)
Class of 2020:
RB Jutahn McClain (Fairfield - OH)
OL Reuben Adams (Woodbridge - VA)
LB Courtney Eubanks (Superior Collegiate - FL)
DB Malcolm Greene (Highland Springs - VA)
ATH Jaylon McCluster (Largo - FL)
ATH DeaMonte Trayanum (Bishop Hoban - OH)
Class of 2021:
QB Caleb Williams (Gonzaga - DC)
Team News:
BASKETBALL: We are hearing that the staff is still searching for the right fit for a possible grad transfer. However, that could change should a certain 2019 recruit (Aundre Hyatt) decide to reclassify. Last I talked to him, he told me that he’d make a decision on reclassifying at the end of spring.
FOOTBALL: The hire of DB coach Cory Robinson has been paying off early on the recruiting trail as a number of the South Jersey targets are speaking highly of him. He is also hearing a lot of praise from the coaches due to ability to connect so well with the kids.
WRESTLING:
It was the question everyone wanted to know - where was Austin DeSanto going to end up. The internet was buzzing for nearly a month on what university the sophomore was going to call home for the next three years. Unfortunately for the Scarlet Knight faithful, it was not Rutgers. Now that DeSanto is officially out of the picture, what is next for the Knights as they head into the 2018-19 season.
Of course, the question mark lies in the 125-lb to 141-lb range, due to weight changes and incoming freshmen. Let’s take a look at the possible lower weight options Coach Goodale and his staff will have to choose from.
125-lb: Rumors have been going around that Nick Suriano is changing weight classes. Whether that is true or not remains to be seen. We know one thing is for certain, what weight Nick wants, Nick will get. However, if Nick does choose to make the bump, Rutgers has a wide variety of young, but unproven options. Current freshman, Shane Metzler, appears to be the favorite out of those currently on the roster. Incoming frosh, Nic Aguilar (Gilroy, CA), is no slouch though, and will be a legitimate contender if the position is open.
133-lb: Losing an All-American is never easy, but losing an emotional leader of the team, like Scott DelVecchio, makes it a whole lot harder. If Nick wants to move up a weight (see above). If Suriano chooses to stay down, Goody will have to look to the roster to find the replacement, as no incoming recruits will fit the weight. Zach Firestone, a transfer from Bucknell, will be a viable option to turn to. Peter Lipari has been on the roster for a few years, and could be poised for a breakout season, if given the opportunity. Once again, both of these options do not have the experience the coaches would want, but either of these two could turn into solid long term options.
141: Anthony Ashnault has made it clear that he has his eye on the 149-lb NCAA title. Meaning, another spot opens up for the staff to fill. Michael Van Brill has one full season under his belt, and showed a lot of potential in his redshirt-freshman season. He is most likely the guy this year, but it’s not necessarily a guarantee. Blair Academy start, Malcolm Robinson (Edison, NJ), is a projected 149-lber in college, but wrestled at 145-lbs in his senior season at Blair. Depending on his growth this off-season, he could be a possible challenger for MVB for the 141 slot.
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