Tag: Dantae chin

Countdown to signing day: No. 10 Rutgers football gets late commit with big upside

Rutgers Wire has the No. 10 recruit in this class pegged as a late signee with huge upside.

[mm-video type=video id=01fnyzy68nh60kkf2t3g playlist_id=none player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fnyzy68nh60kkf2t3g/01fnyzy68nh60kkf2t3g-e5250c44aeac2c688acef0911f0f9fb3.jpg]

Rutgers football has put together a solid 2022 recruiting class, one that is ranked top 30 nationally and has some big-time recruits, several very solid players and a couple of talents with big upside.

And with the Early Signing Period starting on December 16, Rutgers is closing in on one of the top recruiting classes in program history. A lot of attention will go to the four-star recruits (six in this class according to Rivals) as well as the strong showing in New Jersey top 30.

In the days leading up to this signing period, ‘Rutgers Wire’ will unveil their top 10 players in this class.

There is also plenty of talent from out of the state including a late riser in Dantae Chin. A month ago, no one was aware of Chin let alone any connection to a Big Ten program. But the Florida offensive lineman is the definition of being a late bloomer.

[lawrence-related id=4932]

In fact, Rutgers was his first and only offer. That doesn’t stop Chin from checking in as ‘Rutgers Wire’s’ No. 10 player in the 2022 recruiting class.

A former basketball player (and soccer), Chin excelled in his first season of high school football at Cypress Bay. He is a three-star recruit according to Rivals.

What stands out about Chin? He may be raw but he is physically strong and moves incredibly well. He kicks and slides at the level of a Big Ten recruit, showing good footwork as well as fluidity of movement.

He is also a tough player, one who plays to the whistle. It is an aggressiveness that is rare among athletes who convert to football who often struggle with the physicality of the sport.

Not so with Chin, who finishes his blocks well.

[lawrence-related id=5191]

Given his background in other sports, it isn’t surprising that Chin moves into the second level very well, something that can and should help him at the next level.

 

Where does Chin need to develop? At times, he plays a bit high. His hand placement needs fine-tuning and development. He will need to add strength this offseason, but all things considered, his upside is undeniable.

Chin will need a redshirt season to develop and might need another season of growth to found-out his technique a bit. But in one season of high school football, he showed tremendous upside. He has the potential to be a multi-year starter in the Big Ten.

Newest Rutgers verbal Dantae Chin on being a teddy bear off the field, transitioning from hoops to football this season

Rutgers football landed a very intriguing prospect in offensive lineman Dantae Chin.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01fc3gzhz7qrm49z6q player_id=none image=https://rutgerswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

This was Dantae Chin’s first season playing high school football, and the newest Rutgers verbal had a standout season at left tackle for Cypress Bay High School in Florida.

Chin, who lived in Jamaica till he was 14-years old, played soccer when he was 12-years old before focusing on basketball. A power forward on the high school team, he transitioned to football at the urging of head coach Rocco Casullo, who liked the player’s size and athleticism.

Cypress Bay is a very solid 6A program that finished 7-3 this season.

The transition to the gridiron seems to have been successful.

At least, judging from this week’s news.

“I got the phone call [on Sunday night]. I was sitting down with my parents. Coach Schiano called, and he was telling me how much he loved my run game and telling me that they’d love to have me there,” Chin told ‘Rutgers Wire.’

“He gave me an offer. I’m telling him ‘That’s amazing, I’m committing.’ I love Rutgers. They prioritize academics, that’s perfect. The school is huge. I love this coaching staff. The hospitality they’re showing is amazing. Plus, I love the leadership and what they stand for: Family, Trust and ‘CHOP.’ It’s amazing.”

Chin said that after the call, he was so buzzed by the news that he was up at 3 A.M. – “just all my adrenaline pumping in – it didn’t feel real yet.”

Rutgers was his first offer though he was hearing from Florida Atlantic, Syracuse and Rice.

Chin will sign in December during the early signing period. The official visit on campus will be next weekend

He hopes to enroll for classes in January.

[lawrence-related id=4927]

Watching Chin on tape, his athleticism pops out, in particular his footwork. It shouldn’t be a surprise that he was a standout basketball player who was a part of Jamaica’s U16 national team. He moves efortlessly.

And while there is some work to be done in terms of refining his skills, Chin plays with a clear nasty streak to the whistle. He absolutely levels edge rushers, flattening them out of view.

It is a surprise that he plays with such a mean streak given how thoughtful and respectful he is during a phone interview. He compliments his coaches at Cypress Bay, talks about majoring in cyber security and how his mom worries when he comes home from games with minor cuts and bruises.

That same nice, respectable young man is just downright nasty on the field.

“You talk to any of my friends, my coaches, I’m literally in person personality-wise – they just call me a big teddy bear,” Chin said

“But on the field, it is just a different mentality thanks to our coaches. Because honestly, my coaches tell me what to do and I just do it.”

News of Chin’s commitment was broken on Monday morning by Brian Dohn of 247 Sports.

Watch: Newest Rutgers football commit Dantae Chin has power, solid footwork

Rutgers football landed an under the radar recruit in Dantae Chin.

 

Dantae Chin is the newest commit to Rutgers football, adding yet another offensive lineman to a class that has clearly emphasized getting bigger and stronger in the trenches.

A senior from Cypress Bay High School (Florida), Chin is a late bloomer who showed well this past season at left tackle. He appears to have the athleticism necessary to play inside or outside for Rutgers.

The news was broken on Monday by 247 Sports recruiting insider and analyst Brian Dohn.

His senior season highlight film is impressive with some of these plays are reminiscent of The Blindside. Chin plays to the whistle, that much is certain.

The left tackle engages well, being the first to make contact with the edge rush. He plants and steps well, showing impressive mobility and good ability in being able to backstep and slide.

His ability to get to the next level for blocking makes him an interesting candidate for the interior as well. He moves well for his size with rare fluidity in the hips.

 

Chin plays a bit high at times and needs some work in his hand placement. But his motor, quickness and footwork are all impressive.

According to 247 Sports, Rutgers was his first offer.