Tag: Max Melton

Max Melton sees potential after season opening win: ‘We’re not the regular Rutgers’

Max Melton believes Rutgers football is turning a corner.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Max Melton made a statement in Sunday’s season opener for Rutgers football, the junior defensive back, showing why he is one of the top defensive backs in the nation. His performance was key in Rutgers emerging with an important win to start the season.

It wasn’t a must-win game for Rutgers, but if they are hoping to be bowl-eligible, then it was a borderline must-win. This is the kind of game Rutgers has struggled to win in the past (having lost to Northwestern most recently in 2021) let alone close out.

But according to Melton, who played at an elite level on Sunday, this win not only sets the tone but shows that Rutgers has now taken a step forward.

“I think it was just letting people know that we’re not the we’re not the regular Rutgers,” Melton said following Sunday’s game.

“You got us all for the past however many years like eight years, whatever it was.

“We’re about our business this year, we’re going to go out and get the job done. Like we’re gonna we’re up for the task. We’re gonna do everything it takes to get that task done and completed. So that’s what you guys saw today.”

Melton provided blanket coverage in Sunday’s 24-7 win, registering two tackles and adding an interception and a pass defended. It was the kind of performance that reaffirmed why Melton is considered an NFL draft prospect.

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There is a very real chance that Melton is an All-Big Ten selection this year. He has the ability and length to be a true shutdown cornerback. But it is his instincts and reading of the game that is fluid and effortless.

The win has significance because it gives Rutgers a win in Big Ten play. The Scarlet Knights had one win in conference play last year.

“It was great – you know, we got kind of got a weird schedule this year. So we go Big Ten, not Big Ten…whatever it is. And that it’s a good start to the season gives the fan base -it gives everybody hope,” Melton said.

“Like we got it this year like we are what we say we are this year, we’re gonna CHOP every moment and going to take it one game at a time. So now we’re moving on to Temple so we just focus on them now.”

Melton was also showing off some bling following Sunday’s win, an iced out ‘Mad Max’ gold neck chain.

“I got it around my birthday,” Melton said.

“I got this and my car around my birthday.”

Not a bad birthday.

What NFL teams are at the Rutgers football game against Norhwestern?

Four NFL teams are in attendance for Sunday’s Big Ten opener for Rutgers football and Norhwestern.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Rutgers football kicks off the 2023 season on Sunday at SHI Stadium when they host Northwestern. Four NFL teams have sent representation to be at the game.

Scouts from the Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars and Washington Commanders are all in attendance for what is the Big Ten opener for both teams.

Notably, Terry Bradway, the former New York Jets general manager who is now working for the Carolina Panthers, is present at the game.

Rutgers have several players with NFL draft potential. Defensive end [autotag]Aaron Lewis[/autotag], who made a splash at Big Ten Media Days, leads a group on defense that is athletic and talented. Lewis is looking to build on a strong 2022 season and cement himself as a top 100 selection in next spring’s draft.

Also very much in the mix on the defensive side of the ball to make the NFL are defensive back [autotag]Max Melton[/autotag] and linebackers [autotag]Tyreem Powell [/autotag]and [autotag]Mo Toure.[/autotag]

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On offense, left tackle [autotag]Hollin Pierce[/autotag] as well as wide receivers [autotag]Naseim Brantley [/autotag]as well as [autotag]JaQuae Jackson[/autotag] should all register strong NFL interest.

Rutgers Max Melton named one of the top NFL cornerback draft prospects by Trevor Sikkema

Max Melton gets a big grade from Pro Football Focus.

With the college football season quickly approaching, excitement at Rutgers is building for what the 2023 campaign will bring. There will be many returning faces for the Scarlet Knights, including Max Melton. Following a career year, expectations are high for the New Jersey native, who will be one of the leaders on defense.

Over the next few months, more eyes will be on Melton than ever before. The talented Junior was named the fifth-best cornerback in the 2024 class by Pro Football Focus’ Trevor Sikkema. The honor comes as no surprise, given Melton’s recent success.

In 12 games last year, Melton recorded a career-high 33 tackles and two interceptions. He frustrated opposing quarterbacks with 12 passes defended and two tackles for a loss. The Cedar Creek High School product also led the nation in blocked kicks with three.

Due to his play, Melton was voted honorable mention All-Big Ten by the coaches and media. The Rutgers cornerback showed that he could handle a more significant workload as, for the first time in his college career, he appeared in 12 games.

While Melton was a human highlight reel during the 2023 campaign, he was a key piece of Rutgers defense. On a team that struggled to score, Melton did his best to keep the Scarlet Knights in games as long as possible. That should prove beneficial this year as his experience continues to pile up.

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As Melton looks to improve his draft stock, he has been placed in elite company by Trevor Sikkema. The only players ahead of Melton on his list are Kool-Aid McKinstry, Kalen King, Cooper Dejean, and Josh Newton. That talented group should produce plenty of jaw-dropping plays in the next few months and push Melton to take his game to another level.

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2024 NFL draft: Preseason CB watch list and early rankings

2024 NFL draft: Preseason CB watch list and early rankings entering the 2023 college football season

The popular saying is true: no NFL team can ever have enough cornerbacks. More CBs are drafted each year than any other position, with no less than 36 selected in every draft since 2020.

With such a huge demand comes a giant group of aspiring collegiate corners. The early impression on the class is that there is room for a couple at the top to seize the bull by the horns and emerge as the best, while the next grouping is slightly lower-end than the similar tiers of the past couple of seasons at the same preseason point.

These are very fluid rankings. In general, these are early impressions about the NFL potential of players who still have a considerable amount of football to play before they’re drafted. Some underclassmen are included here strictly as mentions; it is not meant to advocate for a player to leave early.

After watching enough to get a baseline feel for the players, here is an early listing and my preliminary ranking for the cornerbacks in the NFL draft class of 2024.

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Rutgers football head coach Greg Schiano believes Eric Rogers, Flip Dixon will boost the defense

Greg Schiano sees two transfer portal additions as helping his defense.

Rutgers football has certainly seen both its quality and overall depth improve on the defensive side of the ball over the past three years. The secondary, in particular, is an area that head coach Greg Schiano is particularly pleased to see the overarching growth and development.

Headlined by returning players such as cornerbacks[autotag] Robert Longerbeam[/autotag] and [autotag]Max Melton[/autotag], the secondary might be the strongest unit on the entire Rutgers roster. But for Schiano, the additions on the backend also include two players brought in from the transfer portal.

These additions, Schiano said, help balance the secondary and bring some veteran experience. In an interview with NBC Sports Chicago, Schiano outlined his secondary, including the importance of adding Rogers and Dixon to the group.

“I think we got a good group with Melton and Longerbeam back at the corners. But we added a guy Eric Rogers, who came over from Northern Illinois, I think he’s going to be a great, great addition,” Schiano told NBC Sports Chicago.

“You mentioned Flip Dixon and you know, he’s a guy that I I think is a Big Ten safety. That’s what he is, and he’s going to be a great, great player for us coming in from the University of Minnesota. So I like our secondary I think we have some experience mixed with some real fine young players. And again, I think at all three levels of the defense, we have some depth, which is critical. It’s a tough league. It’s a league of big men, people get hurt. So to have a little depth is certainly helpful.”

The addition of Dixon to the roster was an under-the-radar part of the Rutgers offseason, but with 30 games of Big Ten experience (and six starts), Dixon can certainly add something to the Rutgers unit.

Last season at Minnesota, he posted 28 tackles and three passes defended, both career-highs. 

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Top three cornerbacks in the Big Ten for 2023

The Big Ten has some elite corners and the Bucks may have the best #B1G #GoBucks

The Big Ten has some elite corners and a few may be vying for an opportunity to be drafted in the first round. The top of this list features two studs from programs that produce top-notch corners on a consistent basis and the third guy is from a lesser-quality program that has made some defensive anchors in the past.

We do have a Buckeye make our top three and it may seem to be a biased selection to a few, but this guy has gotten consistent first-round hype and had a slight hiccup of a season in 2022, but is ready to bounce back in 2023. Let’s dive into the list.

Here are our top three cornerbacks in the Big Ten entering the 2023 season.

2023 Buckeyes Wire Preseason All-Big Ten team: Defensive Backs

How many Ohio State players made our All-Big Ten team? #GoBucks #B1G

The 2023 college football season is right around the corner and the Big Ten is loaded with top-notch talent and predicting who will end up on the All-Big Ten has proven challenging. Not only was it hard to choose one player over another, but it was also hard to admit that some of Ohio State’s most prominent rivals have some serious dogs on their squad.

This list will dive into the defensive backfield — and as expected — the Big Ten has some dominant defensive backs that make it very hard to narrow it down to just four. This list contains two cornerbacks and two safeties and we have a Buckeye make the team at corner, but not at safety.

In the age of the transfer portal, it is possible for a complete dark horse to rise as a frontrunner, but we will do our best to provide the most educated guess based on previous performances and situations.

Four Scarlet Knights make Phil Steele preseason All- Big Ten list

Four Rutgers players make the Phil Steele All-Big Ten team.

With football season quickly approaching, anticipation is building for what the fall will bring. On Monday, Rutgers football earned special recognition as four players were named to the Phil Steele Preseason All-Big Ten teams list.

The list includes DB Max Melton earning second-team honors, LB Deion Jennings earning third-team honors, and both DL Mayan Ahanotu and LB Tyreem Powel earning fourth-team honors. This group will play a critical role in Rutgers success in 2023, starting with Melton, who is entering his junior year. 

Melton was a force on defense and special teams during the 2022 campaign. He added ten pass breakups to his resume while leading the nation in blocked punts with three. He also ranked seventh in the Big Ten in passes defended per game (1.0) while appearing in all 12 games.

Like Melton, Jennings created problems for opponents every time he stepped on the field. The talented linebacker recorded a team-high 91 tackles, 8.5 of which were for a loss. He also had six pass breakups. Due to his play, Jennings won the Homer Hazel Award as the team’s most valuable player.

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Just like in years past, Ahanotu was a model of consistency. He has played in 34 straight games and totaled 39 tackles in that span. As Ahanotu continued to be a reliable presence on the defensive line, he was named a team captain in 2022.

Rounding out the list is Powell, who had four pass breakups in 12 games last year. The New Jersey also recorded 71 tackles, including six for a loss. As the talented linebacker saw an increase in playing time, he made the most of his opportunities.

During the 2023 campaign, wins will not come easy for Rutgers. They have one of the most challenging schedules in college football. However, with this talented quartet back for another season, the Scarlet Knights should be an intriguing team to watch.

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Ahead of a fourth season under Greg Schiano, Rutgers football has a different feel to it

Rutgers football faces a crucial fourth season under head coach Greg Schiano.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — There is a sense among the Rutgers football that things are building and growing. That’s the message from two veteran players on the roster, both of whom have been here for the entirety of head coach Greg Schiano’s rebuild of the program.

And as Schiano enters his fourth season back with Rutgers, it is a crucial year for the head coach and his team. If Rutgers is going to make a move within the Big Ten’s pecking order, then this season they will need to show significant growth and development.

For tight end Johnny Langan, set to enter his fourth year at Rutgers and his sixth in college football, this locker room is showing signs that he hadn’t seen before in the past. He said that things have been “a little bit different” this spring in terms of the team buying into the rebuild.

“The locker room is great. We’re really just like a well-oiled machine,” Langan said on Tuesday following practice.

“Everyone falls in line. The leadership of the team is some of the best I’ve been around. And, you know, we’re kind of just like on a very linear alignment throughout the organization and we’ve got a chance to really do some special.”

The rebuild’s crucial juncture is an important time for Schiano and his staff to show some growth within the program. The 2022 recruiting class, featuring six recruits ranked as four-stars, was a top 30 national class. They are expected to take a big jump this season in terms of development and growth.

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That young, emerging group of talent is met with a strong senior class that is experienced.

They are experienced, and tired of losing. Rutgers hasn’t had a winning season since 2014.

Not even Langan has been around that long.

“We’re turnt up, this is the most turnt team at Rutgers I’ve been on. There’s nothing wrong with the teams before but I gel with these guys much, much better. It’s going to carry over to the field when it’s supposed to,” defensive back Max Melton said last week.

“Like I said before, nothing against the teams we had previously when Schiano came back but like, we’re all on one page. We’re all having leadership meetings, like letting the team know what type of time we’re on this year, like not just going with the flow, or we come out here run plays, we put our daily deposit in football (then) about to go do whatever. Now, we (are) making sure from top – from player one to player 132 – however many players you’re allowed to have on team – like we’re all on the same page. I think that is gonna help us when it comes fourth quarter versus whatever.”

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Max Melton never doubted his Rutgers football return, says this team is ‘turnt up’

Max Melton believes that Rutgers football is ready to take that next step in 2023.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Rutgers football has a different mentality this year according to Max Melton, one that the defensive back says involves the entire program buying in.

In what will be his fourth season at Rutgers, Melton believes that the Scarlet Knights are ready and prepared to build upon the growth and development of the last two seasons. As the program enters its fourth season under head coach Greg Schiano, there is certainly an elevation of the overall talent level within the program.

Now, that talent level needs to manifest itself on the field and in Big Ten play. Two years ago, Rutgers played in the Gator Bowl against Wake Forest as a replacement team when Texas A&M had to withdraw.

But Rutgers hasn’t made a bowl game outright since 2014. The senior defensive back believes this team can take that step forward this season.

Melton had the opportunity to test the NFL draft waters but instead returns to the Scarlet Knights for one final season with the program. It is a decision he said was part of a desire to go out on top with the rebuilding program.

“100 percent I was coming back, there was no question in my mind,” Melton said on Saturday.

“I got to win with this team, I don’t feel like it was selfish if I was going to go to the league but like I just want to win. I’ve always been a part of winning teams so I ain’t feel like it’s right if I left and we didn’t win nothing.

“To be honest, I don’t even count the bowl game – Texas A&M had COVID or whatever. I ain’t count that, that wasn’t a bowl game for us. We didn’t earn that.”

Rutgers, Melton believes, is ready for that next step as a program. As for why he believes that, Melton cites a belief that the team has bought in to the vision of the rebuild and is investing in the direction established under Schiano.

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“We’re turnt up, this is the most turnt team at Rutgers I’ve been on. There’s nothing wrong with the teams before but I gel with these guys much, much better. It’s going to carry over to the field when it’s supposed to,” Melton said.

“Like I said before, nothing against the teams we had previously when Schiano came back but like, we’re all on one page. We’re all having leadership meetings, like letting the team know what type of time we’re on this year, like not just going with the flow, or we come out here run plays, we put our daily deposit in football (then) about to go do whatever. Now like we making sure from top from player one to player 132 however many players you’re allowed to have on team – like we’re all on the same page. I think that is gonna help us when it comes fourth quarter versus whatever.”

Last season, Melton posted a career-high 33 tackles and nine passes defended. He also had two interceptions.

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