Tag: Aaris Bethea

Greg Schiano checks out Erasmus Hall at Don Bosco Prep

Greg Schiano made the trip north to see Don Bosco Prep host Erasmus Hall.

Rutgers football head coach Greg Schiano was at Friday night’s game between Erasmus Hall at Don Bosco Prep. It was the biggest game of the weekend in the tri-state area.

Erasmus Hall features defensive lineman [autotag]Aaris Bethea[/autotag], a Rutgers football commit. Also on that defensive line is [autotag]Caden Brown[/autotag], who holds a Rutgers football offer and was on campus in late July for an unofficial visit.

Playing at home, Don Bosco won the game 31-6. The Ironmen were up 24-0 at halftime.

Schiano was afforded the chance to see the Friday night game due to his weekend work schedule being different than usual. With the Rutgers season opener on Sunday, Schiano had a day that he could spend recruiting:

 

Erasmus Hall has become a pipeline program to Rutgers in recent years, with a number of top prospects heading to Piscataway. Don Bosco Prep is one of the top high school programs in the national and traditionally churns out multiple FBS players each season.

Rutgers opens the season on Sunday with a game against Northwestern at SHI Stadium. Tom McCarthy and Jason McCourty, a former standout Rutgers defensive back, will have the call on CBS.

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Tiffany Blackmon will be reporting from the sidelines.

Former NFL veteran Leger Douzable, now an ESPN analyst, takes a look at Rutgers football commit’s Aaris Bethea’s film

Leger Douzable weighs in on Rutgers football recruit Aaris Bethea’s game film.

Last week, Aaris Bethea committed to Rutgers football, giving the Scarlet Knights an impressive defensive lineman. For former NFL defensive lineman Leger Douzable, Bethea has some interesting tools to work with.

Bethea is a member of the 2024 recruiting class and plays at Erasmus Hall. He is the first player in this class to commit to Rutgers from New York.

Douzable, a 10-year veteran of the NFL (including three years spent with the New York Jets), is currently a college football analyst for ESPN and also an analyst for CBS Sports. A former standout at UCF, he was an All-Conference USA selection (third team) in 2006.

After watching some of Bethea’s tape from his junior season, Douzable believes there are some solid attributes there in the three-star’s tape as he transitions from high school to the Big Ten.

“Good initial quickness, has good length and long arms,” Douzable told Rutgers Wire this week.

“Will probably start on edge with the ability to kick down once he gains mass. Needs to work on hand usage but still very young and pad level which are both coachable.”

Bethea announced a final four in late May of Virginia Tech, Nebraska and Ole Miss as well as Rutgers. A consensus three-star, he also held offers from Maryland, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and West Virginia among others.

The recently married Douzable can be followed on social media via his Twitter @LegerDouzable.

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Film Evaluation: Rutgers added explosive player in Aaris Bethea

2024 recruit Aaris Bethea can be a weapon for Rutgers’ defensive line as the young prospect can shine in the Big Ten.

The Scarlet Knights added another potential weapon to their defensive line when three-star 2024 recruit defensive lineman Aaris Bethea committed to Rutgers football. On Saturday, June 10, Bethea provided his verbal commitment to Rutgers football, one day after his official visit.

The  6-foot-2 and 250 pounds interior defensive lineman has impressive athletic abilities. The New York native from Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, NY, received interest from multiple Power Five schools (Maryland / Nebraska / Ole Miss / Texas A&M).

According to 247Sports, Bethea is ranked  No. 6 in New York and No. 65 in the nation amongst his recruiting class. In 2020 as a high school freshman, Bethea got invited to FBU Freshman All-American Bowl.

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Film Evaluation 

As a junior, Bethea and the Dutchmen won the 2022/23 Football “A” Public Schools Athletic League Champion last season. During the 2022 season, Bethea was an anchor along the Dutchmen’s defensive front. He has tremendous footwork and discipline along the line of scrimmage, making him a high-level recruit for Rutgers football.

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When rushing the quarterback, Bethea can attack opposing offensive linemen with an aggressive power rush or swim move. He is a versatile defensive lineman, lining up as a tackle or end. The 2024 prospect uses his violent hands when coming off the line of scrimmage, maintaining excellent gap responsibility.

Bethea has a high football IQ, providing excellent angles when chasing down ball carriers. The new Scarlet Knight has explosiveness and strength in his first step off the ball. With his tremendous footwork, it is difficult for opposing linemen to push Bethea off the line of scrimmage.

Bethea is an excellent addition to the Rutgers defensive line, as the 2024 recruit will shine in the Big Ten. With 15 commitments to Rutgers football 2024 recruiting class, the Scarlet Knights are now No. 20 in the nation, according to Rivals.com.

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Who are the five players who committed to Rutgers football over the weekend?

Rutgers football landed a staggering five commits this weekend.

Rutgers football had a very strong weekend of recruiting, landing four high school commits and one player out of the transfer portal.

Areas of need were addressed as Rutgers landed a big interior defensive lineman on Saturday while addressing a glaring need at tight end with Sunday’s commitment of Shawn Bowman.

But who are these five new additions to Rutgers? And what do they bring to the program?

Rutgers landed three verbals on Saturday afternoon. All three are member of the 2024 recruiting class and are on the defensive side of the ball:

  • Aaris Bethea (defensive lineman from Brooklyn, N.Y.) – Rutgers has been on Bethea for awhile. A three-star, Bethea picked Rutgers while holding offers from Maryland, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Texas A&M among others. Bethea is also part of a tight-knit circle of New York recruits including four-star Josiah Brown, defensive end Caden Brown and Long Island wide receiver K.J. Duff.
  • Dahkari Gilley (safety from Jacksonville, FL) – Up until announcing on Saturday, Gilley was a bit under the radar (though he did become a three-star on 247Sports over the weekend. He had some solid offers including UCF, Georgia Tech and Pittsburgh. A strong, physical safety, Gilley is impressive as a playmaker and is dedicated to stopping the run.
  • Montele Johnson: (linebacker from West Bloomfield, MI) – Talk about a player who already looks the part of being a Big Ten linebacker. Johnson is an impressive commit for Rutgers, who were part of a final five that also included Boston College, Kansas, Louisville and West Virginia. Last season he was prolific as the 6-foot-2, 225-pound Johnson had 102 total tackles, 23 tackles-for-a-loss, 3.5 sacks, five quarterback hurries and three passes defended.

Then on Sunday, Rutgers landed two more commitments. One came via the transfer portal at a position of need with the aforementioned Bowman:

  • Shawn Bowman (tight from Maine) – A standout at the FCS level, Bowman was a man among boys last year for Maine. Physically, he looks the part of a Big Ten tight end as he measures in at 6-foot-5 and 263 pounds, He is a very strong blocker. He also is a threat down the field. In 2022, Bowman had a solid season with career-highs in receptions (30), receiving yards (455) and touchdowns (5). Against Boston College, he had three catches for 34 yards and a touchdown.

Finally, on Sunday night, Rutgers landed one more member of the 2024 recruiting class. This one also came on the offensive side of the ball although Black might best be projected as an athlete given his versatility:

  • Ben Black (wide receiver from Charlotte, NC) – Another playmaker at wide receiver, Black checks in at a solid 6-foot-1, 185 pounds. He was solidly productive last year for Mallard Creek (25 catches for 402 receiving yards with two touchdowns). Black is now the second wide receiver in this class, joining fellow North Carolina recruit Isaiah Crumpler.

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With three Saturday commits, Rutgers football has moved up in the national recruiting rankings

Rutgers football is top 25 in the nation with their current recruiting class.

After a busy Saturday, Rutgers football continues to have a strong presence in the national recruiting rankings. The Scarlet Knights landed three commitments on Saturday, further establishing this as a very strong recruiting class.

The trio of commits sees Rutgers football’s class of 2024 move up one spot to No. 21 in the nation in the 247Sports recruiting rankings. Last week, Rutgers made a big jump from No. 29 to No. 22 following an official visit weekend where they landed three players.

In the Rivals rankings, Rutgers remains steady at No. 22.

The three verbals are all solid players with strong Power Five offers. All three are defensive players, which helps to balance a class that had tilted heavily towards the offense:

  • Aaris Bethea (defensive lineman from Brooklyn, N.Y.) – A physically imposing interior defensive lineman, Bethea has subtle nuances to his game. He combines strength and speed with good balance and the ability to beat a blocker in multiple ways. A three-star, Bethea picked Rutgers while holding offers from Maryland, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Texas A&M among others.
  • Dahkari Gilley (safety from Jacksonville, FL) – Despite being from a talent-rich state, Gilley is flying a bit under the radar when it comes to recruiting ranking (he is currently unranked). He does hold some impressive offers including UCF, Georgia Tech and Pittsburgh. A strong, physical safety, Gilley is impressive as a playmaker and is dedicated to stopping the run.
  • Montele Johnson: (linebacker from West Bloomfield, MI) – A three-star, Johnson is a top 20 player from Michigan. Johnson had a top five that also included Boston College, Kansas, Louisville and West Virginia. Last season as a junior, the 6-foot-2, 225-pound Johnson had 102 total tackles, 23 tackles-for-a-loss, 3.5 sacks, five quarterback hurries and three passes defended.

It is a strong haul for Rutgers and has the potential to be one of the top three recruiting classes in program history.

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Want proof that Rutgers football commit Aaris Bethea is a special prospect? Watch as he impresses against a Power Five recruit

Rutgers football commit Aaris Bethea has a lot of tools to work with.

Three-star defensive lineman Aaris Bethea committed to Rutgers football on Saturday afternoon, giving the Scarlet Knights another potential weapon along their defensive front.

Bethea, who likely projects as an interior defensive lineman, is a fluid athlete who moves well despite being 6-foot-2 and 250 pounds.

He is a consensus three-star and top 10 player in New York in the 2024 recruiting class.

Bethea really has some impressive ability and isn’t a typical Power Five level recruit. He has tremendous balance and footwork, with good hips. He gets out of his stance solidly and has some nice explosiveness in his first step.

He overall uses his hands well and takes good angles in pursuit.

There is some tremendous upside for Rutgers football in adding a player like Bethea. He comes in with some polished moves and has played at a high level for Erasmus Hall (Brooklyn, N.Y.), one of the top programs in the tristate area.

But he also has a high ceiling, something that should excite head coach [autotag]Greg Schiano[/autotag] and defensive line coach [autotag]Marquise Watson[/autotag].

In this clip from the Speed,Power, Exposure Camp in January, Bethea puts a tremendous move on Matai Jefferson. A class of 2025 recruit, Jefferson is an outstanding prospect from California who already holds an offer from Texas. Jefferson is legit.

 

And here is another one for good measure. Just look at his fluidity of motion and the power from which he emerges from his spin move to get in on the pocket:

 

OK, just one more. Here is Bethea from a year ago, going in on Jake Polito, a member of the class of 2023. Polito was a two-star and a solid recruit who signed with Navy (also had offers from Army, UConn, Dartmouth and others). This is the clip that is perhaps the most impressive from Bethea.

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It is a simple bull rush, but it shows Bethea’s straight-up power against a player who is one year older. If Bethea is playing in the interior at the Big Ten level, then gap integrity is a big part of his game.

As is the ability to collapse the pocket, which Bethea shows an ability to do in this short clip against the strong and talented Polito:

 

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Breaking: Three-star Aaris Bethea continues the Erasmus Hall pipeline, commits to Rutgers football

Aaris Bethea has given a verbal commitment to Rutgers football.

Following his official visit this weekend to Rutgers football, New York defensive lineman Aaris Bethea committed to the Scarlet Knights. It is a huge recruiting win for Rutgers football and head coach Greg Schiano.

The commitment of Bethea is big for Rutgers. Not only is the 6-foot-2, 250-pound defensive lineman a coveted national recruit, the class of 2024 prospect also continues the pipeline from Erasmus Hall (Brooklyn, N.Y.) to Rutgers.

It was a tough recruiting battle that Rutgers was able to win to land Bethea. In late May, Bethea cut down his list to four schools with Rutgers alongside Virginia Tech, Nebraska and Ole Miss. A consensus three-star, he also held offers from Maryland, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and West Virginia among others.

Bethea is the first player from New York to commit to Rutgers in this current recruiting class:

 

Last weekend during the first official visits of the summer season, Rutgers football landed three commitments – two of which came on the defensive side of the ball. On Saturday night, three-star offensive lineman Raynor Andrews from Miami committed to Rutgers.

Then on Sunday, Tyclean Luman and Tycoolhill Luman committed. The twin brothers are defensive ends from Miami.

Andrews and the Luman brothers all play for Norland High School.

As for Bethea, he projects as an interior defensive lineman at the next level. He he the potential to be a multi-year starter for Rutgers at a position of need.

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Who is set for a Rutgers football official visit this weekend? Check out the monster list of talent expected on campus

Rutgers football has a huge official visit list set for this weekend.

After landing three commitments last weekend during their first round of official visits, Rutgers football is primed for another big weekend of official visits.

Last Saturday, Miami three-star offensive lineman Raynor Andrews committed to Rutgers, becoming the first verbal of the weekend. Then on Sunday, the brother duo of Tyclean Luman and Tycoolhill Luman – also from Miami – committed to the Big Ten program as the end of their official visits.

This week features several four-star recruits on campus who are un-committed, headlined by Nyier Daniels, Jamari Howard and William Love. In addition, three Rutgers commits (Matthew Ogunniyi, Gabe Winowich and Sam Pilof) will be on campus for their official visits.

Scroll down and check out what players will be on campus this weekend for their Rutgers football official visits:

Nyier Daniels

Jack Hines

Matthew Ogunniyi

Ohifame Ijeboi

Gabe Winowich 

DK Gilley

Jamari Howard

Antonio White 

Montele Johnson

Willy Love

Trelain Maddox

Sam Pilof

Devon Baxter

Aaris Bethea

Makai Byerson

Mason Carter

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Rutgers football: New York defensive lineman Aaris Bethea releases his top four

Rutgers football makes the cut for three-star defensive tackle Aaris Bethea.

Aaris Bethea, a top five player in New York, released a top four that includes Rutgers football among two Big Ten programs.

The Saturday cutdown from Bethea is an important if expected development for Rutgers in the race to capture one of the top players in the region. He is a consensus three-star recruit out of Erasmus Hall (Brooklyn, N.Y.).

Bethea listed a top five of Rutgers, Virginia Tech, Nebraska and Ole Miss.

Among the programs not making Bethea’s final four are Power Five programs such as Pittsburgh, Syracuse and West Virginia.

His tweet on Saturday afternoon did not provide any timeline for a commitment:

 

It has been a strong spring for Bethea, who has impressed on the camp and combine circuit. He has solidifed himself as a top five recruit in New York and is one of the top interior defensive linemen in the Northeast.

The Rutgers 2024 recruiting class is up to eight verbals. One of those commits, Wisconsin linebacker Sam Pilof, tweeted at Bethea shortly after the player’s top four announcement:

 

Pilof is a three-star linebacker who held offers from  Iowa State, Penn State and Wisconsin at the time of his commitment.

 

What recruits are visiting Rutgers football for Tuesday’s spring practice?

Some top players from New Jersey and New York are visiting Rutgers football on Tuesday.

The top recruits in the area visiting Rutgers football shows no signs of slowing down, with a number of high-profile athletes checking out the program this week.

Several priority recruits from New Jersey and New York will be at Rutgers on Tuesday for spring practice.

Last week, four-star safety [autotag]Josiah Brown[/autotag] visited Rutgers. Brown has been a regular at Rutgers for two years now with this most recent visit on Thursday representing yet another chance for the Scarlet Knights to make progress with the standout from Long Island.

Here are the top players who will be at Rutgers on Tuesday:

There will also be players on hand from DePaul (Wayne, N.J.) and Pope John (Sparta, N.J.)

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