Tag: Rutgers recruiting

Film Study – Michael Thomas III gives Rutgers football an electric player

The Scarlet Knights added an explosive weapon in Michael Thomas III.

The Tuesday commitment of Michael Thomas III gives Rutgers football a high-level athlete with elite attributes.

Thomas from Donovan Catholic (Toms River, New Jersey) has elite speed, great footwork, strong hands, a solid frame, and excellent hands. He is the kind of player who could be special for Rutgers.

He is a multi-sport athlete, recording a 10.76-second 100-yard dash in track. The 5-foot-11 200-pound wide receiver doesn’t have a ton of height but can outjump most defensive backs. His athletic abilities allow him to beat opponents on 50-50 balls. He has a strong lower half, breaking weak arm tackles in the open field.

His skillset translates well to the Big Ten and gives Rutgers the kind of athlete that the top-tier teams in the conference regularly field.

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Thomas can align anywhere on the field and does an excellent job finding soft spots in zone coverage. The future Scarlet Knight tends to align as the No. 3 wide receiver in trips formation, exposing linebackers in coverage.

The No. 4 ranked prospect in New Jersey is an absolute playmaker with the football and can shine in the Big Ten Conference with his quickness off the line of scrimmage. Besides being an offensive threat, he can add depth to Rutgers’ special teams with the ability to return punts or kicks, showing off his versatility on the field.

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Thomas can run multiple route combinations allowing him to thrive on the Power Five level. According to MaxPreps, he finished his junior season with 38 catches for 458 yards and five touchdowns. Thomas’s consistency on the gridiron will erase the pressure of playing within the Big Ten.

The Scarlet Knights added an explosive weapon in Thomas and he will add an immediate offensive impact in 2025.

 

Class of 2025 recruit Amaia Jackson visits Rutgers women’s basketball

Amaia Jackson took a visit to the Rutgers women’s basketball program this week.

Amaia Jackson took an unofficial visit to Rutgers women’s basketball on Thursday. The class of 2025 guard has one of the most impressive offer lists in the country.

In late May, Rutgers offered Jackson, a guard from New York who transferred last year to Montverde Academy (Montverde, Florida). She plays for EYBL team the Miami Suns.

Earlier this week, Jackson also took a visit to Fairfield University. A class of 2025 recruit, she has been offered by Clemson, Memphis, Mississippi State, Missouri, UPenn and Penn State among others.

Rutgers head coach Coquese Washington had a very strong 2024 recruiting class that was headlined by five-star guard Kiyomi McMiller and four-star forward Zachara Perkins. The group is projected to be a big part of the program’s rebuild in the immediate and the long term.

 

McMiller was the No. 27 recruit in the nation in the ESPN rankings. She committed to Rutgers from an offer list that included Arizona State, Baylor, Kentucky, LSU, Michigan and Ole Miss among others.

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On Thursday, Jackson posted on social media about her visit to Rutgers:

 

Matt Sieg is the latest offer from Rutgers football

Matt Sieg has been offered by Rutgers football.

A Friday offer went out from Rutgers football to Matt Sieg, a class of 2026 prospect from Pennsylvania.

Sieg is a four-star athlete and the No. 140 prospect in the nation according to 247Sports. In addition to Rutgers, he holds offers from Maryland, Michigan State, Nebraska, Penn State, Pittsburgh and Syracuse among others. He attends Fort Cherry High School (McDonald, Pennsylvania) where he also plays varsity baseball and basketball.

At 6 feet and 175 pounds, Sieg is an elite athlete with impressive measurables. He runs a 4.42 time in the 40.

He isn’t just a combine freak as Sieg performs at a high level.

As a quarterback, he threw for 1,650 yards with 20 touchdowns and three interceptions. He also ran the ball for 2,234 yards with 39 touchdowns in 15 games played.

As a safety, he had 20 total tackles with three interceptions and a pass defended.

On Friday, Sieg tweeted about the offer from Rutgers football:

 

Currently, the Rutgers 2025 recruiting class stands at eight commits and is No. 29 in the nation.

Rutgers wrestling lands a commitment from Brandon Toranzo

Brandon Toranzo commits to Rutgers wrestling.

An already strong recruiting class for Rutgers wrestling got another boost with the commitment of Brandon Toranzo this week.

Toranzo is a high-level addition for Rutgers who finished off his high school career. He took third-place in the NJSIAA State Championships at 285 pounds for Nutley High School (Nutley, New Jersey). During his run at the state championships, Toranzo defeated two wrestlers who were ranked above him pre-tournament by NJ Wrestle.

He also won the Region 3 heavyweight championship this season.

Rutgers has five wrestlers in the top 50 in the nation on the FloWrestling Big Board.

Toranzo announced via social media his commitment on Monday afternoon:

 

Last week, Rutgers landed a commitment from Dagen Condomotti out of the transfer portal. In addition, heavyweight Yaraslau Slavikouski announced that he will be returning to Rutgers.

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Rutgers is coming off a strong bounce-back season.  Rutgers finished the season 12-5 and with a 4-4 record in the Big Ten.

Film review of Rutgers football’s latest commitment, three-star Jyon Simon

Rutgers football landed a promising player last week in Florida defensive lineman Jyon Simon.

Last week, Rutgers football received a commitment from Jyon Simon. A three-star defensive lineman, Simon had a strong offer list and fills a very big need for Rutgers in the 2025 class.

Simon had some fun in his commitment, first pulling off a prank by saying he was going to USC before eventually committing to Rutgers.

He finished his junior season with 77 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and nine sacks. As a sophomore, Simon totaled 29 tackles (5.5 for loss), 3.5 sacks, three quarterback hits, and an INT for Raines High School (Jacksonville, Florida).

According to 247Sports, Simon is ranked the No. 95 defensive lineman in his 2025 recruiting class and is the No. 129 ranked prospect in Florida.

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Film Review

In adding Simon, Rutgers adds a defensive lineman with some position versatility.

Despite being a big athlete, he has the ability to move around from tackle to end, Simon offers a ton of diversity to Defensive Coordinator Joe Harasymiak’s defense. He is able to do that because he is fast for a player of his size.

Simon’s quickness and toughness off the ball make him a menace for opposing linemen. He has excellent technique, using his hands to shed blocks and maintain gap discipline.

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Simon is not an up-the-field player, fitting nicely in Rutgers defensive coordinator Joe Harasymiak’s gap run defense. His relentless effort and pursuit make Simon a four-down defensive player.

Size and strength are the two important characteristics Simon should focus on as he develops into a Power Five defensive lineman.

 

Philadelphia wide receiver Jalil Hall announces a June decision date with Rutgers football in the mix

Jalil Hall is down to five schools with a commitment coming in June.

Jalil Hall is down to five schools with a commitment date coming in mid-April. Rutgers football is among the programs in the mix for Hall.

On Saturday, Hall posted on social media that he will be making his college commitment on June 29. Rutgers is one of five programs that Hall will consider.

A 6-foot-4, 185-pound wide receiver from Monsignor Bonner (Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania), Hall is one of the top offensive playmakers in the region.

He is a three-star recruit who is the No. 69 wide receiver in the nation according to 247Sports. In Pennsylvania, he is the No. 16 player in this class.

The five schools that Hall will make his decision from at Syracuse, West Virginia, Rutgers, Maryland and Duke.

Hall was offered by Rutgers last June following a workout on campus. The offer came directly in a meeting with head coach Greg Schiano.

“I sat down in coach Schiano’s office with my family and he told how me (that) he loved (the 40 time). He said what he would like to see from me and I delivered that to him,” Hall said last June in an interview with Rutgers Wire.

“He also said that that moment right there showed him what type of person I am and why he could see me being in his program as an elite player.

“It felt great. I’m excited and thankful for the opportunity.”

Hall also holds offers from programs such as James Madison, Nebraska, Temple and Virginia Tech among others.

Four-star Jaelyne Matthews is visiting Rutgers football on Saturday

Jaelyne Matthews is visiting Rutgers football on Saturday.

Jaelyne Matthews will be on an unofficial visit to Rutgers football this weekend.

A four-star recruit, Matthews is one of the top players in New Jersey in the 2025 class. His first offer came in as a freshman from Rutgers.

He attends Toms Rover North (Toms River, New Jersey) where he also plays lacrosse.

Selected to play in the Under Armour All-America Game, Matthews is a top-10 offensive tackle in the nation in the 247Sports Composite where he is also the No. 108 overall recruit nationally.

Matthews is a national recruit, with offers that include Baylor, Florida State, Kentucky, Maryland, Miami and South Carolina among others.

Matthews posted about the Saturday visit to Rutgers on his social media.

 

In late February, Matthews talked with Rutgers Wire about where things stand with Rutgers:

“We’re still booking a midweek visit for them, trying to figure it out. The recruiting process it’s a little difficult sometimes. The weekends, they only give you four weekends really to go on official visits because of the dead periods and I have prom one of the weekends, so I couldn’t really go that weekend and I changed it a little bit because of that,” Matthews told Rutgers Wire.

“So I only have three weekends for official visits so I’m trying to figure out when for Rutgers to book my first visit – probably during the week. I would love to be able to play at that school and be the hometown hero in New Jersey.

“To put Rutgers on the map, nationally. They definitely got a lot of national attention when they were in the game with Ohio State and then in the bowl game they beat Miami. They havc changed a lot since Greg Schiano has gotten there. He’s changed the program for the better and I’m happy for the team.”

Film Review: Rutgers football recruit Renick Dorilas brings strong coverage ability to Don Bosco Prep

Film review: Rutgers offered three-star 2025 recruit Renick Dorilas as he prepares to play in his final high school football season.

Last week, Renick Dorilas announced that he will be transferring to Don Bosco Prep for his senior season of high school football. Dorilas is a longtime Rutger football offeree and one of the top players in New Jersey.

Dorilas has been on campus multiple times and attended several Rutgers football games last year. A defensive back in the class of 2025, he announced last week that he is transferring from Union (Union, New Jersey) to Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, New Jersey)

The 5-foot-11, 150-pound cornerback has Rutgers, Tennessee, Penn State, West Virginia, and Syracuse in his top five schools he is interested in attending in 2025. According to 247Sports, Dorilas is the No. 21 prospect in New Jersey and the No. 70 ranked cornerback nationally in the 2025 recruiting class.

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Film Review

As a junior at Union in 2023, Dorilas had 40 tackles with two tackles for a loss. Also, he logged two interceptions and four pass breakups for Union.

Breaking down Dorilas’s Hudl film, you can see the 2025 prospect shined while playing multiple pass coverages. He can play off-zone and press-man coverage, locking down the opponent’s number-one wide receiver at the cornerback position.

Dorilas has excellent hands and great ball skills, forcing multiple interceptions for his defense. Also, Dorilas offers a ton of speed in the secondary, catching defenders in the open field.

Outside of playing pass coverage, Dorilas is excellent at defending the run. He is a sure tackler who maintains outside leverage, playing gap discipline.

As Dorilas develops to the Power Five level, his physicality would need to improve while playing press coverage, making it difficult for opposing wide receivers. Also, he would need to get stronger and increase his size as he gets set for the collegiate level.

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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 offers ’27 Anthony Cartwright

Anthony Cartwright gets offered by Rutgers football.

Rutgers football became the latest program to officially get involved in with sophomore tight end Anthony Cartwright from Michigan. The Big Ten program offered Cartwright on Thursday.

He is a class of 2027 recruit from Detroit Country Day School (Beverly Hills, Michigan). The offer from Rutgers is the latest in a recruitment that is certainly blowing up.

Cartwright’s offer list is already impressive and makes him a national recruit. The 6-foot-4, 198-pound tight end has been extended by Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan and Michigan State among others.

He also plays basketball for Detroit Country Day.

On Thursday evening, Cartwright posted about the offer from Rutgers, tagging head coach Greg Schiano and tight ends coach Scott Vallone:

 

Vallone was recently promoted to tight ends coach after serving Rutgers as the offensive line assistant the past two years.

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A multi-year starter at Rutgers, Vallone went on and played in the NFL for three teams before transitioning into coaching.

Rutgers has had success in recruiting Detroit Country Day in recent years. [autotag]Gabriel Winowich[/autotag], a four-star running back and part of the 2024 recruiting class for Rutgers, played his first three seasons of high school football at Detroit Country Day.

At the time of his commitment last year, Winowich was matriculated in the school. He transferred over the summer to play his senior season at Notre Dame Prep (Lawrenceville, New Jersey).

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Cartwright’s most recent offer came on March 15 from Tulane.