Tag: Jovani Haskins

Rutgers football: How are the Scarlet Knights performing in the XFL?

Heading into Week 8 of the 2023 XFL season, how is Rutgers football shaping up in the XFL?

Heading into Week 8 of the 2023 XFL season, how is Rutgers football shaping up in the XFL?

Jonathan Hilliman, Mike Tverdov, and Jovani Haskins are the only three Scarlet Knights representing Rutgers football in the XFL for the 2023 season. These three players are paving the way for future Scarlet Knights to play in the XFL. With eight teams in the league, who has the three former Rutgers football players on their active roster?

XFL Teams with former Scarlet Knights

San Antonio Brahmas

The San Antonio Brahmas are sitting third in the South Divison with a 2-5 record. On their active 2023 51-man roster, two former Scarlets Knights represent Rutgers football (RB Jonathan Hilliman & DL Mike Tverdov).

St. Louis Battlehawks

The St. Luis Battlehawks are second in the North Divison with a 5-2 record. Former Scarlet Knight Jovani Haskins is the only Rutgers football player on their 51-man roster.

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Player Stats:

(#31) RB – Jonathan Hilliman

Running back Jonathan Hilliman got drafted by the Brahmas in the 8th round (Pick 62) in the 2022 draft. Hilliman played with the Scarlet Knights for one year in 2018, when he transferred from Boston College. In 2018, Hilliman played 11 games with five starts at running back for Rutgers football. He totaled 337 rushing yards on 83 carries and a team-high six touchdowns. Also, he contributed 11 catches for 86 yards out of the backfield.

Hilliman got a shot in the NFL, signing a contract with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent. In 2019, Hilliman appeared in three games for the Giants, rushing for 91 yards on 30 attempts. After one season in the NFL, Hilliman landed a roster spot in the XFL.

Hilliman’s 2023 Stats (Weeks 1-7):

GP Rush ATT YDS TD YDC Rec YDS Targets
7 7 9 1 1.3 8 34 10

(#42) DL – Mike Tverdov

Defensive lineman Mike Tverdov is another member of Brahmas’s 2023 51-man roster. Tverdov was drafted by San Antonio in the 11th round (Pick 87) in the 2022 draft. The former Scarlet Knight played for Rutgers from 2018 to 2021, totaling 130 tackles in 45 games. After Rutgers, Tverdov received an invite to the Miami Dolphin’s Mini Camp but failed to make the active roster. For the Brahmas, Tverdov played his best game against Seattle (03/11/23), recording three total tackles (1 solo & 2 assists).

Tverdov’s 2023 Stats (Week 1-7):

GP Solo AST TOT TFL Sacks
7 7 8 15 3 2

(#9) TE – Jovani Haskins

Tight end Jovani Haskins got drafted by St. Louis in the 10th round (Pick 79) of the 2022 draft. The New Jersey native played two seasons with the Scarlet Knights (2020 – 2021), totaling 17 receptions for 199 yards and three touchdowns. Since being drafted by the Battlehawks, Haskins has had a quiet 2023 season. Appearing in six games, Haskins only has one recorded catch.

Haskins’s 2023 Stats: (Week 1-7): 

GP Rec YDS TDs Targets
6 1 5 0 4
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Watch: Rutgers tight end Jovani Haskins’ touchdown catch from an endzone camera

A perfect pass from Noah Vedral and a strong drive into the end zone from tight end Jovani Haskins gave Rutgers football a 14-7 lead in what would become an important Week 2 win over Syracuse.

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If Rutgers football is going to make a bowl game in 2021, then they had to win on Saturday. And should Rutgers actually make it into the postseason, then Jovani Haskins’ touchdown catch at Syracuse is likely to be one of the big reasons.

A 17-7 win at Syracuse is a jolt of credibility for the Scarlet Knights and their bowl hopes as their record stands now at 2-0 on the season. With a game against Delaware on Saturday where Rutgers will likely be a heavy favorite, the idea of starting the season with three wins in as many games is not far-fetched. Also not far-fetched is the idea that Rutgers could make a bowl game for the first time since 2014.

Also, the last time Rutgers was 2-0 to start a season? 2014 under then head coach Kyle Flood.

With 23 seconds left in the third quarter and the game tied at 7-7, Rutgers quarterback Noah Vedral threw a tight pass to a wide-open Jovani Haskins. The senior tight end caught the ball at the 3-yard line and fought his way into the endzone for what would become a 14-7 lead. The 30-yard touchdown pass from Vedral to Haskins crushed Syracuse’s momentum at the time.

Rutgers would never look back.

 

Now, should Rutgers win at home over Delaware on Saturday (certainly far from a foregone conclusion as the Fightin Blue Hens are 2-0), it puts Rutgers at the very least in the discussion for a bowl game.

Last year in the first season under head coach Greg Schiano, Rutgers went 3-6 in a season that only featured Big Ten play. The same Big Ten record this season coupled with three out of conference wins would put Rutgers in position to finish the season 6-6 and be bowl eligible.

Still lots of football to go but even having a conversation about Rutgers possibly making a bowl game in the second year of a rebuild is a testament to what Schiano has been able to do in such a short amount of time.