Tag: Jesse Ofurie

Rutgers football: What are the noticeable position changes for the Scarlet Knights this spring?

Rutgers football has some significant position changes for spring practice.

There are a couple of significant moves for Rutgers football heading into spring, with several players making position switches.

The biggest position change for Rutgers football is that punter [autotag]Flynn Appleby[/autotag] is not returning the program. Last season, Appleby was very solid for Rutgers, averaging 39.6 yards per punt.

Jacob Allen, Jake Eldridge and Joe DeCroce all have medically retired.

Other prominent position changes:

  • [autotag]Vilay Nakkoun Jr.[/autotag] (moves from wide receiver to defensive back)
  • [autotag]Jesse Ofurie[/autotag] (moves from wide receiver to defensive back)

One interesting note from the roster concerns [autotag]Isaiah Crumpler[/autotag]. The true freshman, who is enrolled early, is listed as a defensive back. When he signed with the class of 2024, Crumpler was listed as a wide receiver by the program.

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[autotag]Al-Shadee Salaam[/autotag], who moved from running back to defensive back midway through last fall, remains in the secondary. And there is [autotag]Kenny Fletcher,[/autotag] who moved from defensive end to tight end during bowl practice.

Fletcher remains at tight end on the spring roster.

It’s Miller time: Transfer portal wide receiver Dymere Miller commits to Rutgers football

Dymere Miller gives a commitment to Rutgers football on Sunday.

Rutgers football landed a playmaker wide receiver in Dymere Miller following a weekend official visit. Miller joins Rutgers out of the transfer portal after having spent the previous four years at Monmouth.

Miller joins Rutgers with one year of eligibility left.

Last season, Miller was dominant for Monmouth with 90 catches for 1,295 yards and nine touchdowns. He finished his college career at Monmouth was 169 catches for 2,408 yards with 17 touchdowns.

He also has been offered by UConn, FAU, Pittsburgh and Texas Tech among others.

Miller already took a visit to Texas Tech. A scheduled visit to Pittsburgh has been canceled.

He made the announcement via social media on Sunday afternoon:

 

The commitment of Miller is significant for Rutgers. Blessed with good speed, Miller joins a wide receivers room that has some good returning veteran talent in players like [autotag]Christian Dremel [/autotag] and some exciting young players such as [autotag]Ian Strong [/autotag]and [autotag]Jesse Ofurie.[/autotag]

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Miller’s production and his ability to stretch the field with his speed could benefit a Rutgers offense that was improved this past season but lacked big play ability.

Rutgers football: Greg Schiano is eyeing a growing role for freshman Jesse Ofurie

Jesse Ofurie is making an impression for Rutgers football.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Jesse Ofurie is making strides, the Rutgers football wide receiver having made an impression on the coaching staff beginning in the spring.

The true freshman made his collegiate debut on Saturday, registering one catch for seven yards in a 52-3 win over Wagner.

Ofurie, like several members of the 2023 class, was under-recruited nationally.

A 6-foot-2, 195-pound wide receiver, Ofurie was ranked the No. 10 recruit in Massachusetts in last year’s class. He counted Rutgers as his only Power Five offer from a list that included Air Force, Army, UConn and Temple as well as several Ivy League programs.

On Wednesday, Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano spoke to the development of Ofurie.

“He had a great training camp, and then he got injured. So that’s why he wasn’t around the first few weeks. You guys saw him on the availability report,” Schiano said.

“Then he worked his way back from the injury and he just had to knock the rust off. But I think that he’s going to be a viable player. as the year goes on. The more reps he can get in practice, the more ready he’ll be ready to play. And he’s a good player.”

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Rutgers plays on Saturday at Wisconsin. Kickoff is at noon and the game will be streamed on Peacock.

Rutgers football 2023 recruit Jesse Ofurie’s film assessment

On December 21st, recruit Jesse Ofurie signed his letter of intent, ready to bring his explosive playmaking ability to Rutgers football.

Jesse Ofurie is one of the most interesting members of the 2023 Rutgers football recruiting class. The Massachusetts native out of St. John’s Prep High School is already enrolled with the program.

Ofurie, from Salem, Massachusetts, played wide receiver and corner for the Eagles, helping them to an 11-2 record and MIAA state title as a senior. In 2022, Ofurie got selected as a Catholic Conference All-Star. Ofurie had a breakout season as a junior, catching 27 passes for 828 yards and a team-high 14 touchdowns. In 2021, he earned an honorable mention all-state award from the Massachusetts High School Football Coaches Association.

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According to ESPN, Ofurie was a top receiver prospect in Massachusetts and was ranked eighth overall in the state. 247Sports ranked the three-star recruit as No. 10 overall in Massachusetts and the No. 139 wide receiver in the country.

Film Breakdown

Ofurie (6-2/205 Ibs.) will provide a much-needed boost to Rutgers’ depth at wide receiver. In 2023, the Scarlet Knights will be searching for young talent on the outside, especially with the departure of Shameen Jones, Sean Ryan, and Aron Cruickshank.

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Rutgers’ new addition will help the development of their young quarterback Gavin Wimsatt. Ofurie has a big frame and is explosive off the line of scrimmage. His release off the ball beats a lot of press coverage, making him difficult to cover man to man. He is a quarterback’s best friend, adjusting too under thrown balls. Ofurie has strong hands, holding onto passes thrown into traffic. During jump balls, Ofurie does an excellent job catching the ball at its highest point. Rutgers’s recruit can be an addition on special teams, where he returned kicks in high school.

It is yet to be seen if Ofurie can block on the outside, something he should focus on when he begins practicing with the Scarlet Knights.

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What Rutgers football players will be enrolling in January? How about June?

A running list of when Rutgers football players will be enrolling on campus.

Rutgers football is going to have several members of the 2023 recruiting class set to enroll in January, giving a significant leg up for the development of the incoming freshman.

The 2023 class is ranked No. 52 in the nation according to 247Sports. It features some solid prospects and several under-the-radar players including six players from Florida.

Rutgers Wire has learned that the following players will be enrolling in January:

  • LB [autotag]Abram Wright[/autotag]
  • TE [autotag]Logan Blake[/autotag]
  • LS [autotag]Jake Eldridge[/autotag]
  • WR [autotag]Jesse Ofurie[/autotag]
  • OL[autotag] John Stone[/autotag]

Rutgers Wire has learned that the following players will be enrolling in June:

  • DL [autotag]JaSire Peterson[/autotag]
  • OL [autotag]Mozell Williams[/autotag]

Undecided as to enrolling in January or June:

  • WR [autotag]Famah Toure[/autotag]

Several players are still deciding their status as their high school seasons wind down.

Florida has the highest representation in this recruiting class with six players followed by New Jersey (four) and New York (three). Rutgers is still recruiting players for the 2023 class including Maryland linebacker Nnamdi Udeogu.

Rutgers commit Jesse Ofurie on Greg Schiano: ‘he’s a teacher of the game’

Rutgers football head coach Greg Schiano is praised by three-star wide receiver Jesse Ofurie.

Jesse Ofurie was drawn to Rutgers football not just on the field but also off the field. The three-star wide receiver committed to the Big Ten program, he said, in large part due to head coach Greg Schiano.

Ofurie committed to Rutgers in June following his official visit. The Massachusetts wide receiver, ranked a top 100 player in the East by ESPN.com, was an under-the-radar recruit that Schiano and his staff identified early.

The class of 2023 wide receiver is at St. John’s Prep (Danvers, MA). Rutgers was his only Power Five offer.

According to 247Sports, he is the ninth-best player in the state for the current recruiting cycle.

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In talking with the New England Football Journal this week, Ofurie was asked about Schiano by John Sarianides. He offered a layered response and answer that expresses a commitment to the program that goes deeper than just playing time and positional fit.

“I’ll say he’s, he’s a teacher of the game – that’s one thing that stood out to me,” Ofurie said in response to a question about Schiano’s coaching style.

“You know, he really teaches them the game of football and not just how to run a route or how to do certain things, but how what you do affects the other guy on your team. Also just his leadership, everybody kind of admires that about him, how he leads the team, how he leads the program. And of course he has had success with them. And I feel like he is the right man for the job.”

Sarianides and the New England Football Journal do a tremendous job of covering the region including the top recruits with Power Five offers.

 

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