Category: Rutgers recruiting

Four-star Hykeem Williams on Saturday’s Rutgers visit: ‘they’re on track to be great in the next few years’

Rutgers football has a bigtime recruit coming on Saturday in four-star wide receiver Hykeem Williams.

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One of the top wide receivers in the class of 2023 will be at Rutgers on Saturday, giving yet another look at the program.

Four-star wide receiver Hykeem Williams is flying up to New Jersey on Saturday morning to spend the day at Rutgers and watch the game against Maryland. Williams is the No. 52 player in the nation for the class of 2023 according to Rivals and he said this is his third trip up to Rutgers.

He is a standout at Stranahan in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Rutgers (5-6, 2-6 Big Ten) hosts Maryland (5-6, 2-6 Big Ten) in the regular season finale with bowl eligibility on the line for both programs.

“I just like the energy up there, I like the great coaches, the players, just everything,” Williams told ‘Rutgers Wire.’

“I believe that program will be great.

“They’re progressing, they’re starting to get more players. Last year they won three games, this year they’re on track to win six or more…on that pace, they’re on track to be great in the next few years.”

He said that his recruitment is wide-open but that Rutgers along with Miami, Florida State, Tennessee, Florida, Oklahoma, Michigan State, Georgia, Texas A&M, USC and Clemson are recruiting him the hardest. Clemson hasn’t offered yet, he says.

This year, he has made unofficial visits to Miami, Florida State and Georgia. He hopes to visit Michigan State, Oklahoma and Clemson sometime after the new year.

Family atmosphere is important to him, acknowledging that most programs offer a chance to get to the next level.

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Saturday’s game at Rutgers means less about getting bowl eligibility, Williams says, than “vibing with the coaches and players…seeing that last game experience and how it goes.” His interest in Rutgers seems to be legitimate.

As far as his recruitment at Rutgers, he said the bond being built with wide receiver coach Tiquan Underwood is growing. Underwood, a former Rutgers star, played for head coach Greg Schiano in the Big East and then the NFL.

“He’s the one I talk to the most,” Williams said of Underwood.

“Knowing that he played the position I play at Rutgers, played in the league, played for coach Schiano before in the league. That means he must know a lot.”

What recruits are visiting Rutgers football on Saturday?

Rutgers football is hosting some big recruits this weekend for the football game against Maryland.

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Saturday is a big game for Rutgers football against Maryland, with bowl eligibility on the line. With a win, Rutgers would return to the postseason for the first time since 2014.

And given the magnitude of the game, it will also be a chance for Rutgers to make an impression on possible recruits. There are some big ones coming in for this week’s game.

Several uncommited players from 2022 will be attending on Saturday, as will some very big names that Rutgers is getting a jump on for the 2023 class.

On Friday, Rutgers got a verbal from Maryland three-star defensive back Zilan Williams. It was a big piece of news for the Scarlet Knights, who are looking to add more length in the secondary.

Rutgers commit, four-star recruit Samuel Brown named league MVP

Rutgers football verbal commit Samuel Brown named Philadelphia Catholic League MVP.

 

Samuel Brown was named the Most Valuable Player of the Philadelphia Catholic League this week, the Rutgers football commit putting together a really  solid senior season.

A four-star running back and one of the top players in Pennsylvania, Brown is a big part of the Rutgers 2022 recruiting class. His class features several other four-star players including offensive tackle Jacob Allen, linebacker Moses Walker, wide receiver Amarion Brown and defensive end Kenny Fletcher.

Brown was a big part of La Salle’s 9-2 finish to the season that included a 4-1 record in league action.

Their season ended last week in a 35-7 loss at St. Joseph’s Prep.

“I would say that every year I set goals for myself that I reach to achieve and getting MVP of our league was one of them,” Brown told ‘Rutgers Wire’ on Thursday.

“As I continue my career in college I plan on having many other goals that I hope to achieve but it’s going to come with a lot of hard work.”

 

Brown will enroll at Rutgers this summer. He plans on playing as a guard for the La Salle basketball team this winter.

Watch: Rutgers football commit Moses Walker delivers a massive tackle

Rutgers football verbal Moses Walker delivers a huge tackle last week for Erasmus Hall.

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Moses Walker delivers the kind of hits that could well see the Rutgers football commit make an immediate impact on Saturdays.

The Erasmus Hall linebacker, a consensus four-star, absolutely leveled an opposing ball carrier this past Saturday in a 21-6 win over Midwood. Walker has been tremendous all season with this latest hit showing his strength and power along with an innate instinct for the position.

On the play, Walker steps into the gap and levels a clothesline tackle with one arm. He gets up, seemingly doing a ‘CHOP’ motion with his one arm.

It was a college play for sure from one of the nation’s top linebacker prospects in the class of 2022. Walker is a huge part of a very solid recruiting class for Rutgers.

 

Walker is ranked the No. 1 player in New York according to Rivals and the No. 162 player in the nation.

Erasmus Hall is 9-0 on the season. They play Wagner on Saturday in the New York PSAL State Tournament.

The Erasmus Hall defense has been tremendous this year, giving up a combined six points over the last two games.

Four-star Rutgers verbal Samuel Brown on his senior season, direction of Scarlet Knights rebuilding

Rutgers football four-star running back Samuel Brown talks about the Scarlet Knights rebuilding.

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Four-star running back Samuel Brown is one of the big pieces for a deep and loaded recruiting class for Rutgers football.

A four-star in the 247Sports composite and the No. 12 player in Pennsylvania in their rankings, Brown is having a strong season for La Salle. He has 959 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns. He also had a nice 25-yard touchdown pass on a trick play last week.

No, it really was a nice throw, into tight coverage no less. Did anyone say WildKnight?

Brown is optimistic and upbeat about the direction and growth of Rutgers, a program he says is heading in the right direction under head coach Greg Schiano. Rutgers went 3-6 a season ago in Schiano’s first season with the program and he has the Scarlet Knights at 4-5 (1-5 Big Ten) this season.

“Coach Schiano, this is his first full year. He’s getting in there, he’s getting a feel for everything. He’s rebuilding a program and you can see that from the good start they’ve had at 3-0,” Brown told ‘Rutgers Wire’ on Thursday night. “You can see the program is rising and heading in the right direction.

“You don’t panic over things like that, you keep working at it.”

(What are Rutgers recruits saying about the team’s rebuild and season record?)

A big reason why Brown is so fully vested in Rutgers is because of the strong communication and bond he is forming with his fellow recruits and the coaching staff.

“I talk to them every day, we have a great relationship. Everything is going great with them, coach Schiano, coach Fran [Brown] and my running backs coach [Augie Hoffman],” Brown said.

“I talk to coach Fran the most but I also talk to my position coach, coach Aug.”

He also has forged a strong bond with Gavin Wimsatt, who was originally a member of the 2022 recruiting class but graduated early from high school and enrolled at Rutgers in September.

“Gavin, he just tells me that he envisions me and all the other recruits coming in there, getting in there and doing our thing and helping the program as much as we can,” Brown said. “He’s really excited being there.”

Brown is hopeful that Saturday’s playoff game for La Salle against St. Joseph’s Prep at historic Franklin Field will see him not only top 1,000 rushing yards but also come away with a win.

“That’s what I want to do, hopefully, I can get it in this game coming. I’m just focused on winning, hopefully as the game goes that happens but I’m focused on winning,” Brown said.

“I’ll be grateful to get it but I want to win the game more.”

Brown plans on joining Rutgers in the summer. This winter after football he will play on the La Salle basketball team where he starts at either guard position.

Jayson Jenkins on his Rutgers visit: ‘I can see that the program is headed in the right direction’

Rutgers football got a visit on Saturday from coveted edge rusher Jayson Jenkins.

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Jayson Jenkins visited Rutgers football for Saturday’s game against Wisconsin. The New Jersey defensive end left with definite impressions of the program and its direction.

A 6-foot-6, 250-pound defensive end out of Notre Dame High School in Lawrenceville, N.J. is planning his official visits for the rest of the year and Rutgers, despite not yet offering, is standing out. As for an offer, Jenkins is optimistic that one will be coming following a solid senior season so far.

“I hope so, the coaching staff seems to be very interested in me,” Jenkins told ‘Rutgers Wire.’

The visit went along well, even though Rutgers lost the game. The Scarlet Knights are 4-5 (1-5 Big Ten) this season. He said he “got a good feel for the Rutgers football program.”

“It’d be great to be given an opportunity by Rutgers,” Jenkins said. “After visiting, I can see that the program is headed in the right direction.”

He will be visiting Boston College, Pittsburgh, Temple and Indiana in December and January. He lists no favorites. All four programs have offered the late riser.

As of now, Jenkins will not be making a decision before the Early Signing Period in December.

He is a 3-star recruit according to 247Sports. 

 

What are Rutgers football recruits saying about the team’s rebuild under Greg Schiano?

Rutgers football recruits offer their thoughts on the team’s rebuilding process.

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This has been a difficult season at times for Rutgers football (4-5, 1-5 Big Ten), not surprising given the level of the rebuild needed to get this team to a simply competitive level in the Big Ten.

And with the ups and downs of this season, Scarlet Knights fans are obviously disappointed and perhaps even frustrated at some of the losses, such as this past Saturday at home to Wisconsin. But for those who follow this most closely, the season certainly isn’t all doom and gloom.

And those who matter the most are the recruits who comprise the 2022 and 2023 class. They are watching things closely and not just the wins and the losses but the direction of the team and the attitude of the coaching staff.

Over the past month, ‘Rutgers Wire’ has reached out to a number of top recruits and commits for their impressions on the Scarlet Knights rebuilding effort in the second season under head coach Greg Schiano. Their answers are below and offer a far more reflective reaction than some of the hot takes on social media.

Watch: Rutgers football RB commit Samuel Brown throws a 25-yard touchdown pass in Saturday win

Rutgers football commit Samuel Brown with a strong touchdown pass on Saturday on a trick play

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Rutgers football commit Samuel Brown showcased his ability to be an explosive and powerful option in the Big Ten program’s offense this past weekend, keying La Salle’s 45-0 win over Roman Catholic this weekend. Brown ran for two touchdowns but also threw for one.

It was an all-around impressive display from Brown, who also had two rushing touchdowns. La Salle improved to 9-1 on the season while Roman Catholic is now 3-7.

Brown is one of the most pivotal recruits in this class for Rutgers. A four-star running back according to Rivals, at the time of his commitment in March he held offers from two dozen programs including Arizona State, Baylor, Maryland, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Pittsburgh, Tennessee, and Texas A&M among others.

Rivals has him as the No. 23 running back in Pennsylvania and the No. 12 player in Pennsylvania.

The running back also had a really nice touchdown pass, faking a sweep to hit to throw a 25-yard touchdown pass into tight coverage. His pass starts at the :51 second mark of the highlights from this past weekend:

Watch: Rutgers football lands 3-star defensive lineman Q’yaeir Price…what are they getting?

Rutgers football is landing a very solid defensive lineman in its newest commit, Q’yaeir Price.

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Rutgers football got a flip of sorts, getting the commitment of defensive lineman Q’yaeir Price just days after the three-star recruit re-opened his college search. Price had been a Syracuse verbal who de-committed from the ACC program early this week.

A defensive lineman at DePaul Catholic (Wayne, N.J.), Price announced his pledge to Rutgers on Saturday morning. Price was on a visit to Rutgers ahead of Saturday afternoon’s game against Wisconsin.

This is a powerful and explosive athlete as his recently released midseason highlights show.

The decision didn’t come as a great surprise and was even anticipated. But it is still big news for the Scarlet Knights, who are adding a solid defensive lineman who has come along and developed nicely this season.

In addition to Rutgers and Syracuse, Price also held offers from Boston College, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Purdue and Temple among others.

 

His senior season, Price has shown some good attributes including more speed, better pursuit and the ability to track down runners in the open field.

There is explosiveness and sheer strength in his midseason highlights. Price will likely need a redshirt season to add the needed strength for the Big Ten, in particular if he is going to play in the interior of the line.

This past week, Price told ‘Rutgers Wire’ that he was also hearing from Penn State, Oregon and Coastal Carolina since leaving Syracuse’s 2022 recruiting class. Here are Price’s midseason highlights for 7-3 DePaul:

 

Three-star edge rusher Micah Wing previews Rutgers football visit

Rutgers football recruit Micah Wing details his expected visit to the Scarlet Knights this weekend.

Rutgers football is getting a big visit on Saturday for the Big Ten game against Wisconsin. Micah Wing, one of the top pass rushers in the area, is expected at SHI Stadium for a visit.

Wing is a three-star recruit and the third-highest-rated recruit in Delaware according to 247 Sports. He is developing a bond with Rutgers and head coach Greg Schiano.

“Can’t wait for tomorrow, since Rutgers first offered me we talked about commitment dates. I wanted to take time with my recruitment,” Wing told ‘Rutgers Wire’ on Friday.

“But I’m at the point where I’m starting to narrow down options and focusing on which schools I wanted to attend and where I believe will put me in the best position in life, as an athlete and as a person. Fortunately, Rutgers is amongst those schools.

(Rutgers football recruiting notebook: Q’yaeir Price to visit on Saturday plus more recruits expected)

“I love everything coach Schiano and the staff are doing to turn the program around and rebuild. I could see myself fitting right into the system.”

Wing said that West Virginian, Penn State, and Syracuse are also in the mix in his recruitment.

“All schools involved are what I look for in a school,” Wing said.

“I ask myself a few questions: does the school help develop their athletes on and off the field? How many of their athletes are graduating with a college degree? Where do they stand with their depth chart as far as my position? And lastly how well would I fit in the program personally?

“With that being said, all the schools offer a great balance between student life, athletics, and academics and great coaching staffs with a clear vision and a plan to execute – which is why all the schools are at the top of my list.”