Rutgers football didn’t just land a top player on Saturday in Kaj Sanders. They also received a commitment from a player who is all-in and is fully invested in the direction of the program’s rebuild under head coach Greg Schiano.
So much so that Sanders, part of the 2024 class, wants to play the role of recruiter in Rutgers attracting other top players from the Big North.
Sanders can say that because he is one of those talented players. A four-star recruit according to Rivals as well as at On3, Sanders is a top five player in New Jersey. He plays for New Jersey’s premier prep football program in Bergen Catholic (recently ranked top 25 in the nation by MaxPreps). As such, he is the prototypical player that Rutgers would like to begin landing.
And the kind of player coming out of the uber-talented Big North that they’ve struggled to get in recent years. Rutgers hasn’t found much success in recruiting the Big North.
That could all change now and Sanders plans on leading the way for New Jersey’s other top recruits.
With a final four of North Carolina, Rutgers, South Carolina and Wisconsin, Sanders certainly wasn’t short of good options or strong Power Five programs.
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And now, he says, he hopes to be a leader of this class and help keep other top New Jersey in-state.
“I definitely do because I have a great relationship with a lot of other kids in New Jersey,” Sanders told Rutgers Wire.
“I know I can make a big difference, a buzz being a Big North player and someone who was getting a lot of attention and offers.”
Rutgers has struggled with recruiting the four-star talent from the Big North, a conference that is among the deepest and most talented in the nation. Being able to get a player like Sanders signals the shift of momentum on the recruiting front for Rutgers.
This could be the type of commitment that could resonate with the top players in this recruiting class but also next year. Sanders is a name among New Jersey’s top recruits.
His belief in the program can and should open some eyes for Rutgers among New Jersey’s top players.
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And Sanders, for his part, is ready to not just lend his name but also his efforts to help bring top players from the Big North to Rutgers. He plans on making a call to one of the state’s top players to join him.
“Definitely going to be making one to Yasin Willis. That’ll definitely be my first call. Be and him used to play together. I know how he feels about Rutgers and it’d be great if he joined what we’re building here,” Sanders said.
“I’m really excited about this because I believe Rutgers is heading in the right direction and our class can be the one to take them there.”
Willis took an official visit to Rutgers in June. He is a four-star recruit and the top-ranked player in New Jersey according to Rivals.
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