Rutgers football had a very strong weekend of recruiting, landing four high school commits and one player out of the transfer portal.
Areas of need were addressed as Rutgers landed a big interior defensive lineman on Saturday while addressing a glaring need at tight end with Sunday’s commitment of Shawn Bowman.
But who are these five new additions to Rutgers? And what do they bring to the program?
Rutgers landed three verbals on Saturday afternoon. All three are member of the 2024 recruiting class and are on the defensive side of the ball:
- Aaris Bethea (defensive lineman from Brooklyn, N.Y.) – Rutgers has been on Bethea for awhile. A three-star, Bethea picked Rutgers while holding offers from Maryland, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Texas A&M among others. Bethea is also part of a tight-knit circle of New York recruits including four-star Josiah Brown, defensive end Caden Brown and Long Island wide receiver K.J. Duff.
- Dahkari Gilley (safety from Jacksonville, FL) – Up until announcing on Saturday, Gilley was a bit under the radar (though he did become a three-star on 247Sports over the weekend. He had some solid 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) – Talk about a player who already looks the part of being a Big Ten linebacker. Johnson is an impressive commit for Rutgers, who were part of a final five that also included Boston College, Kansas, Louisville and West Virginia. Last season he was prolific as 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.
Then on Sunday, Rutgers landed two more commitments. One came via the transfer portal at a position of need with the aforementioned Bowman:
- Shawn Bowman (tight from Maine) – A standout at the FCS level, Bowman was a man among boys last year for Maine. Physically, he looks the part of a Big Ten tight end as he measures in at 6-foot-5 and 263 pounds, He is a very strong blocker. He also is a threat down the field. In 2022, Bowman had a solid season with career-highs in receptions (30), receiving yards (455) and touchdowns (5). Against Boston College, he had three catches for 34 yards and a touchdown.
Finally, on Sunday night, Rutgers landed one more member of the 2024 recruiting class. This one also came on the offensive side of the ball although Black might best be projected as an athlete given his versatility:
- Ben Black (wide receiver from Charlotte, NC) – Another playmaker at wide receiver, Black checks in at a solid 6-foot-1, 185 pounds. He was solidly productive last year for Mallard Creek (25 catches for 402 receiving yards with two touchdowns). Black is now the second wide receiver in this class, joining fellow North Carolina recruit Isaiah Crumpler.
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