Tag: Montele Johnson

Rutgers football is doing A-OK with N’Kye Wynn after an offer this week: ‘Couldn’t stop smiling’

N’Kye Wynn talks about his recent Rutgers football offer.

N’Kye Wynn was offered by Rutgers football this week and already, the Big Ten program is doing well with the offensive lineman from Michigan.

Michigan has increasingly become a focal point for Rutgers football recruiting in recent years. In the 2024 cycle, Rutgers landed three-star linebacker [autotag]Montele Johnson[/autotag] and three-star tight end [autotag]Monte Keener[/autotag].

In addition, four-star running back [autotag]Gabriel Winowich[/autotag] transferred from Detroit Country Day School (Beverly Hills, Michigan) to New Jersey for his senior season.

Now, back to Wynn.

His offer from Rutgers came during a video call with head coach [autotag]Greg Schiano[/autotag].

“I got on a call with coach Schiano. We talked a little bit about my life and what I do on and off the field. But he gave me chills because of how passionate he is about family, character and football,” Wynn told Rutgers Wire this week.

“Then once we got to know each other, he offered me. I was very excited and happy, I was smiling from ear-to-ear and couldn’t stop smiling. I don’t have a visit with those guys set yet but me on the lookout.”

It has been a process for Wynn to get to know Rutgers, but the relationship is one that seems to be developing.

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Per 247Sports, Wynn is a 6-foot-5, 250-pound interior offensive lineman is a three-star as well as the No. 17 player in Michigan. He holds offers from Iowa State, Kansas, Kentucky and Pittsburgh among others.

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“I started talking to Rutgers back during the season with coach Ruiz (director of recruiting Ramon Ruiz),” Wynn said

“They wanted to get me there for a gameday visit. I think Rutgers has an amazing program. They are a top 25 school for academics – that’s big for me, very important.

“I’ve been talking with coach Hux (quality control assistant Jordan Huxtable) a lot, that’s my guy. We talk a lot about the family and culture that Rutgers has,

“They go by FTC (Faith, Trust, CHOP) which is very inspirational once you know the meaning but it’s also a way of life.”

 

Rutgers football is the latest to offer Michigan tight end, dual-sport athlete Jayden Savoury

Rutgers football offers an elite tight end prospect from Michigan.

On Friday, Jayden Savoury became the latest offer from Rutgers football. The three-star tight end is starting to see his recruitment steadily take off.

A 6-foot-6 and 220-pound prospect from St. Mary’s High School (Detroit), Savoury is a fluid and athletic tight end who moves and has some really elite athletic attributes. He is also a standout basketball player at the prep level where he is a power forward.

He counts Rutgers as his second offer from a Power Five program having already held an Arizona State offer. He also holds offers from Bowling Green, Miami (Ohio) and Toldeo.

On Friday following his offer, he posted about his offer, tagging Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano and tight ends coach Andrew Aurich.

 

In the previous recruiting cycle, Michigan landed two players in the 2024 recruiting class for Rutgers. Three-star linebacker [autotag]Montele Johnson[/autotag], an aggressive and physical athlete, was an early commit in the class.

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So too was running back [autotag]Gabe Winowich[/autotag], a four-star prospect who committed early in the process. Winowich ended up transferring in the summer to Notre Dame Prep (Lawrenceville, New Jersey) so as to graduate early and enroll at Rutgers in January.

Rutgers football: New Jersey linebacker Willy Love set to announce on July 6

Rutgers football is in the final four for linebacker Willy Love.

On Monday afternoon, New Jersey linebacker Willy Love announced that he will be making his college commitment on July 6. Love took an official visit to Rutgers in June.

ESPN and Rivals rank Love as a four-star recruit; he is also a consensus top-10 player in New Jersey. He is a class of 2024 prospect at Woodrow Wilson High School (Camden, N.J.). In mid-June, he released a top seven that included Maryland, Penn State, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Rutgers, Syracuse and Texas A&M.

Now, Love is down to four programs, with one of New Jersey’s top recruits telling Rutgers Wire that Maryland, Pittsburgh, Rutgers and Syracuse will all be part of his final four programs.

 

Now, would Rutgers take a commitment from Love at this point? That is where things could get a bit tricky between the Big Ten program and one of the state’s top players.

The Scarlet Knights, who currently have a class of 20 commits, have three verbals from linebacker prospects.

All three commits have a strong Power Five offer list:

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Film Breakdown: Rutgers football commit Montele Johnson is a tough, throwback linebacker

Rutgers received a commitment from one of the top linebackers in the class of 2024. Can Montele Johnson become a standout linebacker for RU?

On June 10, the Scarlet Knights received a verbal commitment from one of the top dynamic linebackers in the 2024 recruiting class when Montele Johnson committed to Rutgers football. The Michigan native had an official visit this past weekend, providing his verbal commitment one day later. 

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker had a stellar junior season playing for West Bloomfield High School, Michigan, last season. Johnson led the Lakers to an 8-2 record, logging 102 total tackles, 23 tackles-for-a-loss, 3.5 sacks, five quarterback hurries, and three passes defended. 

Johnson’s top five schools included Rutgers, Boston College, Kansas, Louisville, and West Virginia. According to 247Sports, Johnson is ranked No. 21 in Michigan and No. 83 in the nation amongst his 2024 recruiting class. 

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Film Breakdown

According to Johnson’s Hudl profile, the junior linebacker had the following athleticism stats:

40 Yard Dash Shuttle Bench 185 Bench Press (Reps) Squats Deadlifts Cleans
4.58 Seconds 4.21 Seconds 275 Ibs. 17 365 Ibs. 345 Ibs 205 Ibs

While playing middle linebacker, Johnson plays with violence and physicality. He is a sure tackler and an excellent run stuffer. The three-star recruit plays downhill football and doesn’t shy away from contact. Johnson is versatile and can play middle or outside linebacker.

When blitzing, Johnson is aggressive when getting after the quarterback. He is almost impossible to show down when blitzing up the middle, making him a nightmare for opposing offensive linemen.

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Johnson’s weakness comes in pass coverage, struggling in zone defensive schemes. His technique needs work, lacking depth when dropping back into pass coverage. Johnson needs to work on his reads in pass coverage, making sure his eyes are reading the right player.

The new Scarlet Knight has the built and athletic ability to be a big-time linebacker in the Big Ten but will need to continue to develop his technique if he wants to be an elite linebacker.

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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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Watch: Rutgers football commit Montele Johnson is a physical, tough linebacker

Montele Johnson brings a physical presence at linebacker for Rutgers football.

Montele Johnson, who committed to Rutgers football late on Saturday afternoon, has the look and feel of being a physical Big Ten linebacker. A three-star recruit, Johnson is a top 20 player out of Michigan in the 2024 recruiting class.

The standout linebacker from West Bloomfield High School (West Bloomfield, MI) was coveted by several top programs including from the Big Ten and the SEC.

He is a legit Power Five recruit. A month ago, Johnson released a top five that included Rutgers as well as Boston College, Kansas, Louisville and West Virginia. Programs such as Kentucky, Louisville and Purdue also offered Johnson.

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound Johnson had a strong junior season with 102 total tackles, 23 tackles-for-a-loss, 3.4 sacks, five quarterback hurries and three passes defended.

He is a strong physical presence. Johnson instinctually moves well to the ball and develops a thump with his tackle. He thrives on physical play.

At the high school level, he sheds blockers well and is good in pursuit. He is solid in coverage as well.

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Check out some of Johnson’s top plays from his season opener last fall:

Johnson was the third player to commit to Rutgers football on Saturday, with all three coming on the defensive side of the ball.

Three-star defensive lineman Aaris Bethea from Erasmus Hall (Brooklyn, N.Y.) became the first commit of the weekend. He was followed by Florida safety Dahkari Gilley, who came to Rutgers very much under-the-radar.

Johnson represents the third commitment from what has been a very solid recruiting weekend for Rutgers.

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This is how they do it: Montele Johnson commits to Rutgers football

Michigan linebacker Montele Johnson has committed to Rutgers football.

Montele Johnson has committed to Rutgers football on Saturday, landing the Scarlet Knights another top linebacker in the class of 2024. The standout linebacker from Michigan is currently on his official visit at Rutgers.

A consensus three-star recruit, he is the No. 16 player in the Michigan according to On3. Johnson is a class of 2024 prospect out of West Bloomfield High School (West Bloomfield, MI).

Also on Saturday, Rutgers landed a commitment from Aaris Bethea, a three-star defensive lineman from Erasmus Hall (Brooklyn, N.Y.).

In mid-May, Johnson released a top five that included Rutgers as well as Boston College, Kansas, Louisville and West Virginia.

He is a dynamic playmaker at linebacker. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound Johnson with 102 total tackles, 23 tackles-for-a-loss, 3.5 sacks, five quarterback hurries and three passes defended.

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The commitment of Johnson represents the third player from Michigan to commit as part of the 2024 recruiting class. The first two commits from Michigan were on the offensive side of the ball.

Four-star running back Gabriel Winowich was the second player to commit to this class when he gave a verbal in January. Winowich is currently on his official visit at Rutgers.

Last month, Monte Keener, a three-star tight end, gave his verbal to Rutgers. [lawrence-related id=27568]

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Michigan linebacker Montele Johnson announces his top five with one Big Ten school making the cut

Rutgers football landed in the top five for Michigan linebacker Montele Johnson.

Montele Johnson has Rutgers football in his top five as one of the top linebackers in the Midwest is working his way closer toward a decision.

A consensus three-star recruit, he is also a consensus top 20 recruit in Michigan. Johnson is a class of 2024 prospect out of West Bloomfield High School (West Bloomfield, MI).

Johnson had a prolific junior season at West Bloomfield with 102 total tackles, 23 tackles-for-a-loss, 3.4 sacks, five quarterback hurries and three passes defended.

In his top five, which was released over the weekend, Johnson had Rutgers alongside Boston College, Kansas, Louisville and West Virginia.

 

Johnson is relentless in his pursuit of the ball. He is comfortable in space and covers ground quickly. He is hard-hitting and physical.

The Rutgers football 2024 recruiting class currently stands at eight commits. One of the commits is from Michigan.

In January while on an unofficial visit, four-star running back Gabriel Winowich committed to Rutgers. He was the second verbal of the class.

A total of four offensive players have committed to Rutgers over the past month.

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Rutgers football recruiting: Montele Johnson set to drop his top seven teams

Rutgers football recruit Montele Johnson ready to announce his top seven.

Michigan linebacker Montele Johnson will be announcing his top seven teams at the end of the month. The three-star is a target of Rutgers football and one of the player’s eight Power Five offers.

Johnson, from West Bloomfield High School (West Bloomfield, MI), helped guide a strong defense and was part of a Lakers team that went 8-2.

A three-star recruit, he had 102 total tackles last season including 23 tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks and five quarterback hurries. He holds Power Five offers from Boston College, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Missouri, Purdue and West Virginia in addition to Rutgers.

The class of 2024 recruit is a solid 6-foot-2, 220-pounds.

In addition to his eight Power Five offers, Johnson also holds a number of offers including from several MAC programs.

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In a social media post on Thursday, Johnson announced that a top seven is coming:

 

Rutgers football currently has three commits in the class of 2024. One of the commitments is Gabriel Winowich, a four-star running back from Michigan.

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Winowich committed to Rutgers in January while on a visit to the Scarlet Knights.