Rutgers football recruiting: Erasmus Hall wins 7-on-7 title at New York Jets facility

Erasmus Hall wins 7-on-7 tournament at the New York Jets facility.

Erasmus Hall won the 7-on-7 championship this weekend hosted by the New York Jets, providing further evidence that the Brooklyn school is one of the elite programs in the tri-state area. A major provider of Division 1 talent, Erasmus Hall is a pipeline program to Rutgers football.

The high school team took the title on Sunday at an event held at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. They beat out a strong field that included St. Joseph’s Regional (Montvale, N.J.) and Rampao among others.

And in doing so, they are now back-to-back champions of the event.

Erasmus Hall has developed into a powerhouse over the past decade. They’ve sent a number of top players into college football over the years, namely Rutgers. The likes of wide receivers Aron Cruickshank and Sean Ryan as well as defensive back Christian Iazien are among the names familiar to Rutgers fans over the past few years.

 

In June, Rutgers offered wide receiver Lyrick Samuel, who projects to be the next great wide receiver to emerge from Erasmus Hall. He already holds multiple Power Five offers and could be a four-star recruit when it is all said and done.

In the 2024 recruiting class, Rutgers landed three-star defensive lineman Aaris Bethea from Erasmus Hall. He is ranked the fourth-best player in New York by ESPN.com.

[lawrence-related id=28265,28252]

Kaj Sanders wants to help Rutgers attract other four stars: ‘I know I can make a big difference’

Kaj Sanders said that he is hoping to attract other top players from New Jersey.

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.

[lawrence-related id=28217]

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.

[lawrence-related id=28247]

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.

[lawrence-related id=28245]

Watch: Airious ‘Ace’ Bailey with the dunk of summer?

Ace Bailey is simply unreal.

Rutgers basketball commit Airious ‘Ace’ Bailey is no joke.

A five-star recruit, Bailey is having a tremendous summer where he has simply dominated, showcasing his ability to get to the basket and play above the rim. After participating in the USA Basketball U19 national team camp, Bailey has continued to play at a high level.

A 6-foot-9, 200-pound power forward from McEachern (Powder Springs, GA) committed to Rutgers in January following the Scarlet Knights overtime win against Ohio State.

He has certainly lived up to the hype. At some points this summer, he has been simply unreal.

The dunk here is unreal, as is the physical force from Bailey as he gets to the rim.

 

It appears that seated behind the basket is Dylan Harper, the top recruit in the nation. Harper, who plays for Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.), appears to have gotten out of his seat after getting a tremendous view of the dunk.

Harper is being heavily recruited by Rutgers, including the program attending a couple of his games with the United States U19 national team in the recently completed FIBA World Cup.

[lawrence-related id=28250,28247]

Four-star forward Shelton Henderson offered by Rutgers basketball

Shelton Henderson is offered on Saturday by Rutgers basketball.

An offer has gone out from Rutgers basketball this weekend to Shelton Henderson, a Texas standout who is a member of the 2025 recruiting class.

His offer list includes Arkansas State, Houston, Oklahoma State, SMU, TCU and Texas A&M among others. His most recent offer came in mid-June from UCF.

Last September, he took an unofficial visit to Texas A&M.

A small forward from Bellaire High School (Bellaire, TX), e is the No. 94 player in the nation and a four-star in the 247Sports Composite. Henderson is solidly built, checking in at 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds.

He helped Bellaire to a 17-8 record last season.

Henderson tweeted about the offer from Rutgers on Saturday:

 

The four-star ranking for Henderson is certainly warranted. He has a complete game with no glaring weaknesses.

[lawrence-related id=28247]

Running the floor well, Henderson attacks the rum. He moves fluidly in transition. He pulls up well and has a nice mid-range game.

Confident on the dribble, Henderson possesses a nice ability to create his own shot.

The 2024 recruiting class for Rutgers is very strong and is ranked second in the nation. The group is headlined by five-star Airious ‘Ace’ Bailey, the second-highest-ranked recruit in the nation.

[lawrence-related id=28217]

He’s staying home: Why did Kaj Sanders end up picking Rutgers football?

Kaj Sanders discusses why he made the move and committed to Rutgers football.

Kaj Sanders was a massive pickup for Rutgers football, the four-star safety from New Jersey announcing on Saturday.

And in landing a coveted national recruit from Bergen Catholic, one of the top high school programs in the country, Rutgers certainly opened some eyes. Sanders is an elite recruit, a talent who likely sees the field as a true freshman.

Ranked a top five player in New Jersey’s 2024 class, Sanders was recently madea four-star by Rivals. He is also a four-star at On3.

With a final four of North Carolina, Rutgers, South Carolina and Wisconsin, Rutgers beat some strong Power Five programs to land Sanders. Rutgers won out, because he connected with the coaching staff and he believes in head coach [autotag]Greg Schiano.[/autotag]

“I ended up going that way because of my relationship with the coaches and that the program will turn around,” Sanders told Rutgers Wire.

“I’m convinced of coach Schiano’s history and his culture and how it’s going to be in the next few years and how things are going to grow there.”

In late June, Sanders took an official visit to Rutgers. It was a midweek visit, one that would change the direction and trajectory of his recruitment.

And, it led to his commitment this weekend.

“The official visit turned things around. It opened my eyes to the sources around Rutgers,” Sanders said.

“Like companies and people – the NIL part of it. I saw that they had a lot to offer.”

Sanders made his announcement on Saturday afternoon on the Rivals platform. He is excited about his commitment but also relieved to have the process over.

Understandably so, there seems to have been a certain level of pressure that Sanders felt throughout this process that makes Saturday’s commitment a relief.

“It was stressful. All the big-time schools and all the great coaches who have called and talked to me,” Sanders said.

“I’m glad it is done, glad to get back to being able to focus on my senior season and get back to grinding this offseason.

“I’m 100 percent committed.”

Four-star Kaj Sanders picked Rutgers football…what does this mean for the Scarlet Knights?

Four-star Kaj Sanders could make a monster commitment to Rutgers on Saturday.

On Saturday afternoon, Kaj Sanders announced a commitment to Rutgers football. It is a decision that could help transition the program on the field and with recruiting.

A four-star defensive back from Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.), Sanders is a top five player in the state. He also was recently bumped to being a four-star by Rivals; he is also a four-star per On3.

He picked on Saturday from a final four that includes North Carolina, Rutgers, South Carolina and Wisconsin.

In his commitment to Rutgers, he becomes the fourth recruit to verbal to Rutgers who is ranked a four-star. In many ways, the potential of his commitment to the Scarlet Knights has the chance toresonate throughout New Jersey beyond just the typical headlines.

Playing for a national powerhouse in Bergen Catholic that is ranked in the top 25 nationally, Sanders is not an ordinary recruit. He is a coveted player and one with name recognition throughout New Jersey. As such, in picking Rutgers, he can now help usher in a new era for the program.

When head coach [autotag]Greg Schiano[/autotag] left Rutgers in 2012, ending the most successful era in program history, the pipeline that he had painstakingly created to the North Jersey parochials began to wither. It didn’t die entirely, but, Rutgers lost its momentum with the likes of Don Bosco Prep, St. Peter’s Prep and Bergen Catholic among others.

It has taken time to get back in with these programs. But landing a four-star player from one of these elite schools would certainly land Rutgers back in the game for some of  New Jersey’s top talent.

[lawrence-related id=28217]

Sanders, one of the state’s top players, is a star for one of these Big North programs. This commitment on Saturday afternoon signals a shifting of the winds for Rutgers on the recruiting front moving forward. It is important for Rutgers to land recruits from these programs if they want to be competitive in the Big Ten.

Not only does the addition of Sanders help solidify a very solid class of 2024 for Rutgers, but Sanders could be the pied piper for next year’s class. His name has clout and his belief in Rutgers would be seismic.

This is not hyperbole, not by any stretch. The class of 2025 is a deep and talented one in New Jersey. Having Sanders leading this current class will certainly get the attention of underclassmen throughout the region. It could…and should… be a big moment for Rutgers to say the least.

[lawrence-related id=28212]

This decision must be viewed as one made by Sanders in his best interest. Sanders could and should make a decision based purely on his own comfort level with the program that feels most like home, the one that resonates the most with him and where he can develop on the field as well as off of it.

He has said that is Rutgers. But the impact goes far beyond his skillset and his potential impact on the field. Sanders is now a leader of not just this class, but in many ways is now a leader of the Rutgers program.

This is a commitment that certainly carries weight. The stars would not necessarily be aligning for the Scarlet Knights, but in Sanders making his pledge, it shows a belief from a blue chip, national recruit in this rebuilding program at Rutgers and in Schiano in particular.

Buckle up.

[lawrence-related id=28207]

Rutgers football: Four-star Kaj Sanders talks Scarlet Knights ahead of decision

Kaj Sanders breaks down his recruitment ahead of Saturday’s announcement.

In late June, Kaj Sanders took an official visit to Rutgers football. Turns out the trip helped the Big Ten program in the race to land one of New Jersey’s top players.

Sanders, a four-star recruit according to On3 and Rivals, is one of New Jersey’s top players in the 2024 recruiting. A safety at Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.), he is a consensus top-10 player in the state.

His final four North Carolina, Rutgers, South Carolina and Wisconsin are the final four to make the cutdown for Sanders.

Sanders confirms that he will be announcing his college choice from those four schools on Saturday.

“This just feels like the right time because I can finally try and just focus on my senior season,” Sanders told Rutgers Wire.

“Instead of having to worry about which college I’m going to be attending.”

Rutgers, the in-state program, made up some ground in recent weeks following a June official visit. There is the chance for immediate playing time for Sanders at Rutgers and head coach [autotag]Greg Schiano[/autotag] has a legacy of placing defensive backs in the NFL.

[lawrence-related id=28192,28190]

“Rutgers made the final four because it’s the hometown state (school),” Sanders said.

“And I believe in the coaches to really be able to develop me as a player and as a man.”

That official visit, which his father said went well, also seems to have helped Rutgers.

“Things went really well on my visit. They made a big move in my recruitment,” Sanders said.

“They made that move because of all the love they’ve been showing me on my official.”

He said that Rutgers and Wisconsin are recruiting him the hardest.

[lawrence-related id=28168,28161]

Rutgers football recruiting: Jason Patterson set to decide on August 1

Jason Patterson will commit on August 1.

Florida running back Jason Patterson is set to announce his commitment in three weeks. The class of 2024 running back took an official visit to Rutgers in early June.

Patterson confirmed to Rutgers Wire a report from Thursday morning that he will be committing on August 1. He has taken official visits to Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Rutgers, Cincinnati and Boston College and will not take any more visits.

Ranked a four-star by ESPN.com, Patterson ran for 2,721 yards and 35 touchdowns as a junior last season for Sneads High School (Sneads, FL). In addition, he is a standout sprinter, running a 10.97 in the 100 meters during spring track.

He tells Rutgers Wire that he will in fact be making his commitment on Aug. 1:

“I’m doing what’s best for me and my family,” Patterson told Rutgers Wire.

Recently, the running back took a deep dive into his recruitment. He said that Rutgers set a high standard with their official visit.

[lawrence-related id=28168]

In addition, he cited a relationship with the coaching staff that is tight. The whole coaching staff, Patterson said, is one he can “vibe” with. 

 

And he says there is one primary reason why he included Rutgers in his final five.

“Because the relationship I have with all the staff is so high,” Patterson said.

[lawrence-related id=28161]

Rutgers basketball recruiting: Darius Adams, New Jersey’s top ranked player, is changing schools

Darius Adams is changing schools, leaving Manasquan.

Class of 2025 recruit Darius Adams is moving schools. The four-star recruit is the top-ranked player in New Jersey in his class and is a Rutgers basketball recruiting target.

Adams, who played last year for Manasquan High School (Manasquan, N.J.), announced on Thursday that he will be attending La Lumiere. The prep school is located in La Porte, IN.

He is a consensus top 50 player in the nation and is ranked New Jersey’s top player by On3, Rivals and ESPN. Adams holds offers from Florida State, Fordham, St. John’s, Seton Hall, Syracuse and Rutgers among others.

 

The 2024 recruiting class for Rutgers is ranked second in the nation. It currently has Airious Bailey, a five-star forward who is the highest-ranked commit in program history. 

[lawrence-related id=28155]

Also in the class are a pair of four talents in forward [autotag]Bryce Dortch[/autotag] and center [autotag]Lathan Sommerville[/autotag].

Getting in early with Adams is certainly a priority for Rutgers and head coach Steve Pikiell. Being able to land New Jersey’s top player would certainly set the tone for the 2025 recruiting class.

The move of schools was retweeted by his sister, Destiny Adams, who came to Rutgers this spring in the transfer portal. Destiny was a former four-star recruit who played the last two seasons at North Carolina.

[lawrence-related id=28190,28169]

New Jersey four-star Willy Love pushes back his commitment date

William Love has pushed his college commitment date back.

One of the highest-ranked recruits in New Jersey, Willy Love will not be committing this week.

A four-star according to Rivals, Love is a consensus top 10 player in New Jersey. He plays for Woodrow Wilson (Camden, N.J.).

Love was originally scheduled to commit on July 6, but announced on Wednesday that he is now pushing back his announcement. In addition, it seems that Love is reopening up his recruitment again.

He told RutgersWire early in the week that he had a final four of Maryland, Pittsburgh, Rutgers and Syracuse. Instead, he tweeted on Wednesday that ” will no longer be committing this Thursday(July 6th) My recruitment is 100% open & will be so further to all schools outside of the “Lucky Seven”.

 

In mid-June, Luck announced a a ‘Lucky Seven’ that included Maryland, Penn State, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Rutgers, Syracuse and Texas A&M.

[lawrence-related id=28179]

In the 2024 recruiting class, Rutgers currently has three committed athletes at the linebacker position. The most recent commitment in the position group is from Samarian Robinson, who de-committed from UCF and committed to Rutgers in June following an official visit.

[lawrence-related id=28169,28168]