Tag: Rutgers in the NFL

Max Melton taken in the NFL draft! Rutgers defensive back is an Arizona Cardinal

Max Melton goes No. 32 overall to the Arizona Cardinals.

Max Melton went in the second round of the NFL draft, landing with the Arizona Cardinals at No. 43. The former Rutgers standout landed with a team where he will have the chance to make an immediate impact and fill a very pressing need at cornerback.

The talented defensive back is coming off a strong offseason where he solidified a resume that saw him develop into one of the Big Ten’s top defensive players at Rutgers. The Cardinals, in need of help at cornerback, are getting an aggressive defensive presence in the NFL draft who is comfortable playing press coverage.

Melton has good length and is an aggressive, sure tackler. He is also a committed presence in the run defense.

During his four years at Rutgers, Melton was a multi-time All-Big Ten selection. The lead up to his Friday night selection was a tremendous build-up for Melton, starting with his running a 4.39 time in the 40 at the NFL combine.

Across his four years at Rutgers, Melton finished with 113 total tackles, eight interceptions, 20 pass breakups, one forced fumble, and four fumble recoveries in 43 games.

 

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The NFL bloodlines that Melton brings to the Cardinals have brought a competitive edge to his game. He is the younger brother of Bo Melton, a wide receiver with the Green Bay Packers.

 

Rutgers football in the NFL: Michael Burton re-signs with the Denver Broncos

Former Rutgers football fullback Michael Burton is re-signed by the Denver Broncos.

On the second day of NFL free agency, fullback Michael Burton re-signed with the Denver Broncos. He was a fifth round pick in the 2015 NFL draft out of Rutgers.

Burton had 17 total yards last season. The former Rutgers standout participated in 189 offensive snaps last year with the Broncos, more than he had the previous two seasons, combined.

He was in for the Broncos on 18 percent of all offensive snaps.

His 290 special team snaps were the most in his career. Last year was his first with the Broncos. Previously, Burton spent two years with the Kansas City Chiefs where he won Super Bowl LVII.

Burton played his high school football at West Morris (Chester, New Jersey). He was part of Rutgers football’s 2010 recruiting class and joined the program as a Preferred Walk On (PWO).

News of Burton’s new contract was broken by Jason McCourty of the NFL Network. McCourty, a former All-Big East defensive back at Rutgers), and Burton are both represented by powerful agent Kevin Malast (who also is a former Rutgers standout).

 

He had an offer list that included Lehigh, Maine, Monmouth, New Hampshire and Towson among others.

Burton’s play at fullback is valuable in the Broncos’ offensive scheme under head coach Sean Payton.

In his career, he has 202 yards of total offense from scrimmage and two touchdowns.

Former Rutgers offensive lineman Darnell Stapleton joins the Washington Commanders

Former Rutgers standout Darnell Stapleton is set to join the Washington Commanders.

Darnell Stapleton, a former Rutgers football offensive lineman, is heading to the NFL. Stapleton, last with Florida, will be an assistant offensive line coach with the Washington Commanders.

In 2006, Stapleton was a part of Rutgers football’s best-ever team, becoming a finalist for the Rimington Award (given to the nation’s top center). He remains one of the top offensive linemen in program history.

Stapleton played in the NFL for four seasons, spending his first three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers after signing as an undrafted rookie free agent. With the Steelers, he won Super Bowl XL.

In 2010, he signed with the New England Patriots in what was his final season in the NFL as a player.

From there, he transitioned to coaching. In 2013, he was a graduate assistant as part of then-head coach Kyle Flood’s staff. He left Rutgers the following year to become the offensive line coach at Bucknell.

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He joined Florida in 2022 as their offensive line coach.

 

Stapleton, who has never coached at the NFL level, is an intriguing hire by new Commanders head coach Dan Quinn. He will work under offensive line coach Bobby Johnson.

 

Check out these highlights of former Rutgers standout Max Melton impressing at the Senior Bowl

Max Melton has had a good showing this week at the Senior Bowl.

Max Melton is helping his NFL draft stock at the Senior Bowl. The former Rutgers football defensive back is certainly impressing with his athleticism and showing well in Senior Bowl practices.

Melton is coming off a strong final season at Rutgers where he had 32 total tackles with three interceptions and six passes defended. He was an All-Big Ten selection his last two seasons at Rutgers.

A 4.44 time in the 40 certainly opened some eyes around the NFL. So too is his play in drills and one-on-one coverage where he is showing discipline and good instincts in breaking to the ball.

His performances this week are enhancing what he has shown on film at Rutgers over the previous three seasons. Melton has lock-down ability and can be a playmaker in the secondary:

 

 

His older brother, Bo Melton, used the Senior Bowl as a catalyst to be a Day 3 pick in the 2022 NFL draft.

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This past season with the Green Bay Packers, he had 16 catches for 218 yards with a touchdown.

Patrick Mahomes: The Kansas City Chiefs will lean into (former Rutgers football star) Isiah Pacheco this week

Former Rutger star Isiah Pacheco is praised by Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco has a fan in Patrick Mahomes. The All-Pro quarterback, when asked this week to talk about Pacheco’s impact on the Chiefs offense, had nothing but praise for the former Rutgers football running back.

Last week in the win over the Miami Dolphins in the AFC Wild Card round, Pacheco had 89 rushing yards on 24 carries. He had a fourth-quarter touchdown that wrapped up the game for the Chiefs.

With a divisional round game at the Buffalo Bills this Sunday, the Chiefs are going to rely on Pacheco’s hard-running style to control the clock and keep a strong Bills offense off the field.

During his weekly availability, Mahomes talked to the media about what Pacheco’s output has meant to the Chiefs in the postseason.

“He’s a great football player, leaning into him, leaning into our offensive line and what they do best is extremely important to our team How the defense is playing, giving them a rest, and letting us to control the ball. It’s something you have to do to win football games in this league,” Mahomes told reporters this week.

“It’s not always going to be high-flying but we’re going to do whatever we can to win the football game at the end of the day and if that’s running the ball, throwing the ball – whatever that is.”

Pacheco was a seventh-round pick of the Chiefs in the 2022 NFL draft. He was a former All-Big Ten running back at Rutgers. It was at Rutgers where Pacheco flashed his now infamous hard-running, a style which is commnly referred to as angry runs.

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On the season, Pacheco had 935 rushing yards and seven touchdowns in 14 games.

Scroll down and check out some of the best photos from Isiah Pacheco and the Kansas City Chiefs this past weekend in their AFC wild card win over the Miami Dolphins!