The commitment of Malcolm Ray over the week while on an official visit was a massive get for Rutgers at a position of need. But the defensive tackle, a standout at Florida State, knew even before the visit that he was going to commit to the Scarlet Knights.
Ray has the potential to be a game-changer for Rutgers. This past season, his fourth at Florida State, was a solid season for Ray. The 6-foot-2, 292-pound defensive tackle had 19 total tackles and two passes defended.
In four seasons at Florida State, Ray had 60 total tackles with 3.5 sacks and two passes defended.
The relationship with Rutgers began almost as soon as he entered the portal, with Ray saying he quickly bonded with the staff and head coach Greg Schiano.
He knew before the visit that Rutgers was going to be home.
“I told coach (Schiano) way before I was on the visit out there or anywhere, that I was going to commit,” Ray told Rutgers Wire on Sunday.
“But then when I went out there and we took pictures, we did everything we said we were going to do, and after pictures, I went up to to the coaches and said ‘I commit. I’m on board.’ I wanted to be a part of this.”
The process of landing at Rutgers may seem unconventional. Rutgers is coming off a strong season where they finished 7-6 while playing the second-toughest schedule in college football.
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But Florida State had a season that saw them in contention for the College Football Playoff and Ray was a solid part of their successful season. Ray said that what won out in his recruitment since entering the portal was the relationship he formed with Schiano.
In fact, he said he was the one who asked to come on the official visit.
“It happened with me and coach Schiano building a great a good relationship. As soon as my name went into the portal, he’d call me from time to time we would have a good conversation about the facility to campus and about all the coaches and players,” Ray said.
“I actually asked if I can come up there and see the campus for myself. I heard a lot of great things about it. I just wanted to know that my eyes do the talking for me.”
Ray had taken a prior official to North Carolina State before committing to Rutgers.
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The official visit over this past weekend allowed him to see snow for the second time in his life. He loved it, he said, taking it as “a sign that I made the right decision and now we’ll take nothing for granted”
Also on the official visit was long snapper Austin Riggs (BYU). Ray committed on Saturday afternoon and Riggs on Sunday.
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“The coaches, they made me feel welcome. Made me feel like a family. They made me understand everything and how they do things in certain ways,” Ray said.
“And as we were going around the facility, it was it was very beautiful. I love what I’ve seen from the campus, the stadium, to the training room to the weight room, everything.
“So I just fell in love with it.”
Ray will be enrolling in January.