Rutgers Football

No. 126: Khaseem Greene, No. 20, Rutgers, Linebacker

Greene is a safety who has converted to the weak-side linebacker position and been a revelation for the Scarlet Knights. He led the team in tackles a season ago and really was the heart of the Rutgers defense. After a devastating injury in the Pinstripe Bowl, Khaseem Greene is back for his senior year at Rutgers and is looking to build upon his success from a season ago.

Strengths

Speed, and a lot of it. The rising senior moved over from safety, and the speed he brought to the Rutgers front seven had a tremendous affect. He was the guy chasing down ball carriers from the weak side through the wash. He played a true Will linebacker in his ability to track plays away from him and get to the ball-carrier. In coverage, he's also a plus.

That career as a safety helps him cover his short zones well. While he did not have any interceptions, he was a reliable pass defender.

In looking at Greene, the biggest plus is a tremendous surprise for a converted safety: his tackles for loss. He finished 2011 with 14 tackles for loss, good for second on the team and ninth in the Big East. That is not something you generally see out of converted safeties. Normally, playing downhill and behind the line of scrimmage is where safeties moved into the box tend to suffer; Greene excels in this environment.

Weaknesses

When a player exceeds all expectations after a serious position change, there is not much negative to say about his game. With that said, the biggest obstacle for Greene to overcome will be his injury. The gruesome ankle injury is slowly healing after postseason surgery, but it kept him off the field in the spring, and he will have to work to get back into playing shape over the summer. That's a tough task for a young man who will only be participating in unsupervised team activities, no coaches allowed to observe.

2012 Predictions

Greene should come back healthy. Thanks to fall camp, the senior should be ready to rock and roll for the Scarlet Knights' opener against Tulane. Expect Khaseem Greene to be in the running to repeat as the Big East's defensive player of the year; this time, he likely won't share the honor with another player.

At the linebacker position, Greene will have his work cut out for him, but the way he tracks the ball and makes big plays will also put him in the running to be an All-American. If he can turn up his tackles for loss, his senior season could also make him a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Award, among others.

Rutgers, as a team, needs Greene to be full strength and play well if they want to grab the Big East Championship and BCS Bowl bid that has eluded them repeatedly.

One sign that Big East football has weakened became evident this past weekend, when only 12 players from the conference were drafted by NFL teams. The losses of Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College have appreciably weakened the Big East, and the impending departures of West Virginia, Pittsburgh and Syracuse will dramatically change the face of a once viable football conference.

Only one player from Rutgers was actually drafted this year, a notable change from what had come to be a growing trend of NFL-caliber talent from the University.

Despite eclipsing the school record set by former first-round draft choice Kenny Britt as well as the Big East single-season reception record set by current NFL superstar Larry Fitzgerald, Rutgers wideout Mohamed Sanu wasn't drafted until the third round (83rd overall) of this year's event. But once "Mr. Irrelevant" Chandler Harnish had been taken with the final seventh-round pick, the 2012 NFL Draft was over, and Sanu remained the only Scarlet Knight chosen this year.

Thus began the draft after the draft.

Almost immediately, the cell phones of unchosen draft-eligible college players began ringing with offers to sign free-agent contracts and come for tryouts at pro football training camps.

Three Scarlet Knights have already signed in the past few days: running back Joe Martinek, along with offensive linemen Desmond Stapleton and Desmond Wynn.

Supplementing the needs they sought to fill in the draft—especially the loss of running back Brandon Jacobs—the New York Giants quickly signed Martinek, whom they termed "a gritty, hard-nosed football player."

Hailing from Hopatcong, N.J., Martinek is the state's all-time leading high school rusher (7,589 yards). Should he make the Giants squad, it will mean that he will have played every home high school, college and pro football game of his career within the geographic confines of the Garden State.

Stapleton, who had recently said publicly that he was, "just hoping to get into a camp," will join the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ironically, Stapleton's older brother Darnell also played for the Steelers before an injury shortened his career.

Wynn will join his former college coach, Greg Schiano, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers moved to quickly sign no less than 14 college free agents following the NFL draft. Standing 6'6", Wynn was a standout at Rutgers, anchoring the offensive line at both guard and tackle.

Other remaining undrafted free agents from this year's Rutgers squad are defensive ends Manny Abreu and Justin Francis, safety David Rowe and offensive lineman Art Forst. 

Rutgers football holds its annual spring game today at High Point Solutions Stadium at 3:30 p.m. ET.

The game is significant because it is the first for new head coach Kyle Flood.

Scarlet Knights fans will also see the debut of Dave Brock as offensive coordinator and Robb Smith's debut as defensive coordinator.

Brock is in his first season at Rutgers, and in his 20-year career of coaching, this will be his first full season coordinating an offense.

Brock was the interim OC at Boston College last season, leading an offense that seemed to improve toward the end of the season, putting up 24 points in a win against U. of Miami (FL).

In his career, Brock had the most success coaching wide receivers such as Jordy Nelson at Kansas State and Hakeem Nicks at UNC.

Will RU's offense be more pass-happy in 2012?  This will be the first opportunity for Knights fans to view what this offense may be like in 2012.

Smith will provide some stability on the defensive coaching front.

His former title was special teams coach.

Rutgers' defense under Greg Schiano was an aggressive, swarming-type defense and it will be interesting to see if that is maintained under Smith.

Although, the spring game may not be the best barometer as a blitzing attack isn't likely to be unleashed against teammates in a glorified scrimmage.

A major thing for Knights fans to watch today is quarterback play.

The old adage, "if you have two quarterbacks you don't have any," rings true on The Banks as of now.

Chas Dodd and Gary Nova have shown glimpses, but one needs to take the reigns in order for this team to win at a high level in 2012.

Or, will a third quarterback enter this mix like Mike Bimonte who is currently on the roster, or Blake Rankin, who will join the roster this fall?

Finally, it remains to be seen how disciplined this team will be under new head coach Kyle Flood.

With real referees watching the action on Saturday, will the Knights take many penalties?  False starts and offsides penalties are a great way to judge how much control a head coach has over a team because they are a demonstration of discipline and how much a team understands a coach's demands upon his team. 

One hopes that Flood isn't in over his head as a first-year head coach.

"This thing moved a lot faster than, a lot quicker than people expected it to," declared Director of Athletics Tim Pernetti in discussing the departure of head coach Greg Schiano. "I think the hope and expectation was that we would be able to keep Coach Schiano in here for a long time."

On Jan. 26, 2012, the campus, fans, alumni and players of Rutgers University were thunderstruck by the announcement that the man who had taken the Scarlet Knights from the basement of Division I college football to perennial bowl contenders was packing his bags for the greener pastures of the NFL.

Three months hence, the dust has settled. But what, exactly, has Rutgers lost?

Proponents of Greg Schiano will argue that under his guidance, the Scarlet Knights have gone to six bowl games, and they have consistently recruited players and produced NFL level talent.

Unfortunately, a closer look at Schiano's time at Rutgers reveals a different story.

If not for an invitation to—and victory in—the 2011 New Era Pinstripe Bowl, Schiano would have finished his career at Rutgers with a mere .500 record.

Yes, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have placed the next five years of their franchise in the hands of the man who had a career mark of 68-67 in a weak Big East Conference.

When he first came to Rutgers in December 2000, Schiano looked to change the culture at Rutgers by keeping home-grown talent in the state and  made the bold statement, "If you stay in New Jersey, we can win championships."

Championships. Plural.

Not only did that not occur, it never even came close. In his 11 seasons at the helm, the Scarlet Knights could not even win the Big East Conference--not once--and compiled a woeful 28-48 record against conference opponents.

In a conference that has seen many of its best teams leave for other greener pastures, the Scarlet Knights not only failed to win the Big East, but they could not manage to defeat rival West Virginia once in the 11 years with Schiano as coach.

Detractors will also point out that Schiano did not exactly leave the school at a time when it is on the verge of greatness. A quick review of their last 29 games shows the Knights to be a mere one game over .500, and the fact is that Schiano leaves as only the third-winningest coach in the history of Rutgers football.

Most recently, critics of Schiano saw signs of the Scarlet bloom withering with his team's overuse of the wildcat offense, his driving off of star quarterback Tom Savage, and the numerous rumors of his candidacy of other high-profile coaching jobs (Michigan, Miami, Penn State, among others).

But while they questioned his conviction to the job, Schiano's acceptance of the Buccaneers' head coaching job took the vast majority of fans and followers by surprise.

Schiano was often seen as a coach who needed and exerted control over all aspects of the program, but Kyle Flood is viewed as one who places his faith in others on his staff to get things done.

"If you trust the people you hire," Flood said. "That allows you to feel really good when you come to the office. You have to hire people who can do their job."

A reaffirmation to the best interests of the team is exactly what the Scarlet Knights need at this crucial time, and so there will be no sweeping changes in the philosophies of the offense or the defense. More importantly, while the program will stay the course, the coach has remained the same man the players had grown to appreciate.

"The biggest thing we appreciate is [that] he didn't change," said Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova. "He's been the same guy. We really love him, and we're looking forward to him taking us to where we want to go."

Rutgers needs a bridge from the crumbling uncertainty of the past to the stability of the future. Rutgers' fans, players and the administration are all hoping that that bridge is named Kyle Flood.

If Rutgers doesn't win the Big East in the fall of 2012, it may never win a conference title.

And if Rutgers doesn't win it, you will need to look no further than quarterback play to discern why it was unable to win a Big East championship.

All the excuses are gone.

Rutgers is no longer a "young team", the coaching situation has been settled, and most of all: West Virginia is gone.

Quite possibly the biggest obstacle for Rutgers to overcome has been West Virginia. The Mountainers have beaten Rutgers every season since Rutgers got past the Mountaineers, 17-12 in September of 1994.

West Virginia settled its lawsuit against the Big East and will not appear on the RU schedule, nor will it compete in the Big East in 2012.

For more on that story, click here:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/football/ncaa/02/14/west-virginia-big-east.ap/index.html

Despite the departure of Mohamed Sanu to the NFL draft, Rutgers is still deep at wide receiver. The Scarlet Knights bring back a talented senior tight end D.C. Jefferson, who ought to be able to do some of the possession-type receiving work that Sanu did in his time at RU.

The Knights have plenty of talent at running back, bringing back sophomore Savon Huggins and redshirt sophomore Jawan Jamison, who broke out in the second half of 2011.

The defense should continue to be solid as it has been, and returns its star linebacker Khaseem Greene.

However, there is still unrest at quarterback.

Rutgers supporters thought they had their answer when prodigal son Tom Savage sought a hardship waiver to return to quarterback the team he committed to two seasons ago.

However, inexplicably, Savage was denied.  It is inexplicable with the amount of hardship transfers the NCAA has allowed under similar circumstances.

So now, RU is left with the usual suspects at the QB position; Chas Dodd and Gary Nova.

Both are talented, and both showed flashes of brilliance in what was a winning season in 2011.  However, they also both made the kinds of mistakes that drive coaches batty and cost a team games during a season.

One of these two will need to grow up quickly in 2012 in order for RU to compete for the conference title.

The new era of Rutgers football is getting started with a familiar theme. Despite opening up the spring schedule Tuesday with a new head coach for the first time since 2001, the uncertainty at quarterback is once again the hot topic in Piscataway.

The spring depth chart reads "Chas Dodd OR Gary Nova" on the quarterback line, signaling the start of a quarterback competition between Dodd, a junior, and Nova, a sophomore.

“I think what we have, as our strength at quarterback, is two really talented, quality young people who’ve won big games for us," Rutgers head coach Kyle Flood said in a press conference Tuesday. "I’m anxious to watch them compete for the job this spring.”

The starting job is up for grabs between Chas Dodd and Gary Nova, who each put up pretty equal numbers in 2011. With neither player really showing much reason to go with one over the other in the fall, the spring should become a contest to see who can establish himself as the emerging leader of Rutgers' offense.

	Att	Comp	Pct.	Yards	TD	INT	Rating
Chas Dodd	245	139	56.7	1,574	10	7	118.46
Gary Nova	227	116	51.1	1,553	11	9	116.62
Source: CFBStats.com

If you are a Rutgers fan, do not expect a decision to be made on a starter anytime soon. Flood is prepared to wait as long as he needs to arrive at a decision.

“I’m not putting a timetable on it," Flood said. "I’m not concerned about that."

Just because Flood is not expecting to make a decision soon does not mean he devalues the importance of doing so.

“To me, if you want to put a long-range timetable on it, you want to have your starter in place 10-14 days before you play your first game," Flood said. "So that would be the back end of the schedule. Whether or not that will happen this spring is really up to the players themselves to separate themselves from the other.”

Flood is looking for a leader. If a leader is a guy who can put the offense in the end zone, then the competition looks to be a tight one. Dodd and Nova each threw seven touchdown passes in the red zone last season, but neither had a completion percentage above 49 percent.

If a leader is one who controls the football with the lead in a close game, then look again. Dodd and Nova each threw three interceptions when Rutgers was up between one and seven points and two interceptions when the game was tied.

Flood and the Rutgers coaching staff will have a number of issues to sort through this spring, but that is the key thing to remember. It is just spring, and Rutgers is not the only team looking to find a starter at a key position such as quarterback.

Other Position Battles to Watch

In addition to the quarterback position, the spring depth chart for Rutgers shows a couple other spots that should be considered up for grabs.

On offense, the tight end position has D.C. Jefferson and Paul Carrezola competing for the starting job and running backs Jawan Jamison and Savon Huggins (both sophomores) looking to become the go-to guy in the backfield. Flood says Huggins will be good to go this spring after recovering from injury.

On defense, the key position to watch this spring will be at defensive end, where Rutgers will test a few players for the line. Michael Larrow is the one guy not considered to be in competition for a spot at the end, but Marcus Thompson, Jamil Merrell, Ka'Lial Glaud, Marvin Booker, Jawaun Wynn and Myles Jackson are all competing for the other starting job or backup roles.

Quotes provided by Rutgers Athletics, unless noted otherwise. Link also includes Rutgers spring depth chart.

Kevin McGuire is the host of the No 2-Minute Warning podcast and a member of the Football Writers Association of America and National Football Foundation. Follow him on Twitter, like him on Facebook and add him to your Google+ circle.

There was no question that when Greg Schiano suddenly resigned from coaching RU, and RU was jilted by Mario Cristobal during negotiations to be RU's head coach, new head coach Kyle Flood inherited a situation at a major crossroads.

Not only did the Scarlet Knights face high expectations this fall, finishing a game out of a tie for first place in the Big East and returning the majority of their key players, but they were set to welcome in the best recruiting class in the history of the program.

With just days to signing day, rival coaches were set to poach RU's class, and it seemed that was an inevitability.

However, that didn't happen.

With glue and tape, Kyle Flood, with the rest of his coaching staff in a state of flux, held this impressive class together.

How did he do it?

Last month, Philadelphia columnist Mike Kern of PhillyNews.com reported that sources were telling him RU had been telling recruits it was planning on moving to the Big Ten "sooner than later."

Rutgers has yet to comment on that report.

So is RU coach Kyle Flood one hell of a salesman or is this just a baseless rumor?

Let's deal with the second part first.

Clearly, without a named source, this is hard to prove. However, it's a little strange to make this up, particularly with the way Rutgers has flirted with the Big Ten over the last four or five years.

Second, let's look at the language—"plans on moving to the Big Ten." I am planning on being a millionaire. It may not happen.

That sort of equivocating language allows someone to say anything without really lying.

I will believe this Big Ten thing when the contracts are being signed. It seems every other school who has wanted to switch conference allegiances these past few years have been able to do it and for some reason, Rutgers has been left in the cold.

So while it is admirable that these recruits held firm to their commitments to Rutgers, if they were banking on the Big Ten, they may be taken for a ride.  

When I read Friday's story about the two-game series Rutgers and Arkansas agreed upon I couldn't help noticing Rutgers athletic director Tim Pernetti's quote: "It is a constant priority to secure marquee scheduling opportunities for our football program and our fans."

I don't consider Rutgers' 2012 football schedule "marguee," it's as weak as any other of Rutgers' consistently weak schedules.

A game with Arkansas, and four non-conference games against the likes of Army, Tulane, Kent State and FCS Howard, is still one of the weakest non-conference schedules in the country and will be unappealing to the fans, if there are any left after next season's opening three games. (Tulane, Howard, Kent State.)

Pernetti has been the Rutgers AD for almost three years now and he's done very little to make the football schedule anything but dull and unchallenging.

After the 2009 season, when Rutgers played two FCS teams, Pernetti realized the schedule needed improvement so he added added Penn State in 2014 and 2015, UCLA in 2016 and 2017, Miami in 2018 and 2019, and now Arkansas in 2012 and 2013.

But he's still following Greg Schaino's lead of playing a non-conference schedule which includes one decent team, three of the worst FBC teams you can find and an FCS team.

And by the way, who knows how bad Penn State will be in a couple of years.  That also goes for UCLA and Miami, at least Arkansas is a legitimate top 15 team.

Hey Tim, if you want to do some marquee scheduling, try scheduling two top-flight non-conference games each season.

In 2012, Michigan, even with a tough Big Ten schedule, plays non-conference games against Alabama and Notre Dame.  Same thing for Michigan State, they play Boise State and Notre Dame.

In 2012, fellow Big East member USF plays non-conference games against FSU and Miami.  FSU plays a non-conference game against Florida and also had West Virginia on the 2012 schedule before it cancelled two weeks ago.

Next season, Miami plays non-conference games against Kansas State, Notre Dame and USF.  The Florida teams aren't afraid of competition, maybe that's why college football is so big in the Sunshine State.

In 2012, ACC champion Clemson plays Auburn and South Carolina, both of the SEC.

Southern Mississippi, who finished No. 19 last year, plays non-conference games against Boise State Nebraska and Louisville.  It's the way to build a program.

And next year Navy opens their season against Notre Dame and Penn State.

There's plenty of other examples of teams taking on the challenge of good non-conference teams so their fans will have something to look forward to almost every Saturday in 2012.

Most of the BCS conference teams only get to play three or four non-conference games and they still squeeze in more top games than Rutgers does with five non-conference games a year.

There's a saying "if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best."  Rutgers doesn't want to be the best.  It wants to guarantee a meaningless bowl game by playing a weak schedule.

So Tim, how about backing up your statement and prove Rutgers is interested in scheduling more big games.

Give the fans something to get excited about.

Next year's home schedule reads Kent State, Howard, Army, UConn, Syracuse and Louisville. You call that marquee!

 General Thoughts
Just an outstanding class. Top notch. Grade A. The class is made up of tremendous athletes who showed exceptional character and stuck with Rutgers even after the head coach left. And for that, they will always have a special place in my heart. 

So the GOOD news is: we signed a damn good class during a year that saw us go 9-4 and watched our conference mates go on their separate ways, leaving us in the Conference of Misfit Toys. The BAD news is that this stuff normally has a year or so lag on it...so I’m not really looking forward to next year’s NSD. Might not be a great year. 

But we got top-notch talent in positions of dire need, and we did it in on the heels of the most devastating departure (departures?) the program has ever faced. Is that succinct enough for you?  If so...skip down to the recruits. If not, read on. 

RASSoR (Rutgers Adjusted Sliding Scale of Recruiting):  9.3

Our first ever RASSoR above a nine, and a solid .5 points higher than last year.  Is there still room for improvement? Of course there is—the RASSoR scale goes to 10. But this class is easily the best class to ever grace the Bank. I know you've heard this before, so let me prove it to you with my "Ten Reasons Why This Is the Best Class Rutgers has Ever Had...Ever:"

Reason #1)  ESPN.com (a tiny little division of Disney) ranked us as the No. 24 class in the nation, higher than we had ever been ranked by ESPN.com before.

Reason #2)  Rivals.com (a tiny little division of Yahoo!) ALSO ranked our class as the No. 24 class in the nation, higher than we have ever been ranked before. It’s nice to see consensus among the two, isn’t it?

Sure, some schools like USC, Alabama and Florida State wrinkle their nose at such a ranking, but schools like Arkansas (No. 33), North Carolina (No. 41), Pitt, WVU, USF, Cincy, and Penn State (conveniently lumped together at No. 44-49, respectively)? Those guys? They’re jealous. We did just fine.

  
Reason #3)  Our class was small—19 players in total (kind of 20 if you count transfer RJ Dill, but we'll just say 19). That's about 75 percent of a full class, "full" being the 25-man limit the NCAA puts on a particular class. Contrast that with teams whose classes ranked above ours, like Texas (28 commits), Virginia Tech (28 commits) and Miami (33 commits).

Now, I won't bore you with the details of gray-shirting and academic non-qualifiers and how these schools find loopholes to support their over-signing of players...just know that's something Rutgers DIDN'T do. So, we must have gotten some quality players to have only 19 commits and be ranked No. 24. 

Reason #4)  The size of the class (again, Rutgers' class was small) is actually a very key metric in the recruiting rankings, which kind of makes sense. Obviously, you'd rather have a class of two 3-star guys as opposed to just one, right? So, the fact that we ended up as high as we did with a small class speaks volumes to the quality of the players we landed. Is this sort of the same idea as No. 3? Kind of, but it’s important to stress the difficulty in getting a high ranking with a small class.

Reason #5)  We landed exactly ONE 2-star player, and it was our kicker—Kyle Federico (it should be noted that the highest rated kicker in the entire country is still only a 3-star guy with a 5.5 Rivals Rating, and he's going to Duke—not exactly a football factory). On top of that, there are only eight 3-star kickers in the nation, so contrast that with the fact that there are FORTY NINE 4-star-plus wide receivers, and it's not really an indictment of Mr. Federico, but more of a sign that nobody really cares about ranking kickers (that’s a long aside about kickers). 

So, kickers aside, this class has no 2-star players, which means very few risks, very few gambles, fewer projects, fewer "well, the coaches must have seen something in him at the summer camps."  Very solid group of football players.

Reason #6)  We have the highest average-star-rating-per-player we have ever had, at 3.26. Up until now, we had never broken the 3.0 barrier, although we did reach that mark exactly in 2009.  But a .26 improvement over our previous best? That’s big. That’s HUGE. That’s Jessie Owens laying the towel down before the board and still winning gold. Just an emphatic leap into a new class of class. 

Reason #7)  We brought in eight of the NJ Top 15 (over half, for the mathematically disinclined) AND...the No. 1 recruit in New Jersey AGAIN...AND...continued our pipeline to some of the best private schools in the nation. 

Reason #8)  We landed our first EVER 5-star recruit in DE/DT Darius Hamilton. 

Reason #9)  On top of that, we landed four 4-stars, putting our total number of players at 4-stars or above at five—our highest ever.

Reason #10)  Our average Rivals Ranking was 5.67, which is our highest ranking ever—although surprisingly, not all that much higher than last year's 5.60. Also, don't tell our kicker, but if you take him out of the class, we boost our average stars to 3.33 and RR to 5.69.  Just sayin'. 

So, in the interest of brevity (my strong point, obviously), we landed our best player EVER, the largest number of 4-stars or above EVER, the fewest number of two stars EVER and achieved our highest recruiting class ranking EVER—and not just by me, but by people who actually get paid to do this.

AND WE DID ALL THAT JUST SIX DAYS AFTER OUR HEAD COACH QUIT ON US. I mean...I guess that's less quantitative and more qualitative and that's why I left it off the list, but, man, somehow, after a week of sitting on pins and needles waiting for Highpoint Solutions Stadium to actually crumble to the ground, this class pulled through in a ridiculous show of community and commitment and faxed in their letters. Absurd.

CLASS STRENGTH

On the one hand, I'm proud of the team because it was obviously either a blind spot or a challenge to bring in quality OLs, and they came through in spectacular fashion. On the other hand, it was also such an obvious team need that if they DIDN'T land a great OL, I personally would have penned transfer requests for our quarterbacks out of concerns for their safety.

Schiano may never have completed that wall around New Jersey, but as a parting gift, he left behind the wall he should have been building all along—the one in front of our quarterback and averaging 6’4” and 300 pounds across. The offensive line class was ranked as the No. 10 OL class in the nation, partially because we brought in a full line, but also because it has some serious talent. 

They are headlined by two 4-star Pennsy bulldozers (J.J. Denman and Chris Mueller), the sixth best center in the country in Brandon Arcidiacono, a 3-star Washington, DC lineman with a mean streak and a great attitude (more on him later) in Derrick Nelson and a stud 3-star NJ guy that many think could have the highest ceiling of them all (Ryan Brodie).

Throw in Maryland transfer (and a 3 year starter on the line for the Terps) RJ Dill and you’ve got yourself a deep and talented O-line class.    

Honorable Mention: Wide Receiver. For a few reasons: one, because we brought in four of them (maybe more with the athletes, who knows?), so we’ve got some depth. But also because of the talent there: headliner is 4-star Bosco talent and all-around nice guy, Leonte Carroo, followed by 3 guys who just fell short of that fourth star in Ruhann Peele (Rutgers’ first commit), Ian Thomas (one of Rutgers’ last commits) and Carlton Agudosi, a lanky 6’6” receiver in the mold of Brandon Coleman. 

It’s also possible that 3-star ATH Delon Stephenson lands in the slot, where he could be a very dangerous playmaker.

CLASS WEAKNESS

Tight End. That’s easy. We had one, but then we lost one, so we didn’t get one. Thanks, Mike.   

Dishonorable mention: Defensive backs. Well, we didn’t land any safeties, so that’s a downer.  And we needed a corner, and it looked like the only player we were going to sign was Davon Jacobs—a nice player, but not enough to make you say, “Oh, okay, we’re set at that position.”

Our depth was somewhat buoyed by the NSD addition of Jevon Tyree who is, again, a nice player that just doesn’t make me feel like we’ve got our bases covered. So hopefully one of them will work out, but both TE and DB will be positions of need in 2013.

STRAIGHT UP STAR OF THE CLASS

Darius Hamilton. He’s a 5-star player! He might have had 50 offers. He might have had more than that. He’s the son of local NFL star Keith Hamilton.

He even comes ready with own nickname: “The Technician”. 

So he’s probably not the 6’4” at which he is listed, and he isn’t a flash off the snap...but he’s relentless in his pursuit, he has the ability to physically impose his will—and he is so smart at the position already that he should early playing time next season.     

Honorable mention:  Tougher call, but I think I’m going to go with Quanzell Lambert. If you had to design a high school kid to look and play like a MLB, you could probably use Quanzell as the mold. Quanzell also comes ready with his own nickname: “Quanzilla”...or “Quan-jira”, for those of you who insist on authenticity.

So, a note to future recruits—if you want to be considered for the “Straight Up Star of the Class” category, it doesn’t hurt to have a cool nickname.    

MOST UNDERRATED 

One could make an argument for Ryan Brodie who, like Kaleb Johnson, is a 4-star player trapped in a 3-star rating. That said, I think judging by the general sentiment of the fanbase (yes, I take informal polls) and the fact that Rutgers was his only offer, I’ll go with Delon Stephenson.

He’s got the speed and moves to play the slot, he could end up as a terrific corner and there’s a good chance he’ll end up fielding punts/kicks for us. He might have some grade issues, though, which likely hindered his offers, so keep your fingers crossed that he’s in our summer camp.

Honorable mention: Desmon Peoples. A smaller back, but agile with great cutting ability.  Apparently, Urban Meyer was recruiting this kid a few years back (when Urban was at Florida) and might have even tried to get back in the game late when he was hired at Ohio State. I’m not saying we beat out Urban Meyer for Peoples, just that Urban recognizes talent when he sees it—so maybe the kid’s better than a low 3-star RB. 

MOST OVERRATED

I’m going with 3-star Davon Jacobs. I like his speed. I like his playmaking. Heck, I even like his film. I don’t know what it is, really. Maybe it’s his size: I don’t know if he has the build to warrant his offer list, which is both extensive and impressive.

Just like last year, there are some that say this guy might be the most UNDERrated kid in our class, but I’m not buying that just yet. I’m a little leery of this one, this could be Quran Pratt 2.0 and this guy could make me look like a jerk.

FLUX CAPACI-TERP

It’s rare to be able to go back in time to fix your mistakes, so when you have the chance to set something straight, you need to make the most of it. The most annoying thing about doing a terrible job of offensive line recruiting is that it can take YEARS to remedy.

There’s just no such thing as a quick fix for an offensive line: even landing a class like ours can mean pressing young lineman into service before they’re ready, often against far more developed 22-year-old D linemen. 

Yet, in probably our most underrated offseason move, we hopped into the DeLorean, punched in “Feb. 6, 2008”, and zoomed back in time to pick up a 6’7” 300-pound offensive lineman.

A belated “Welcome to the Banks!” goes out to RJ Dill! So what has Dill been up to the last 3 years? Oh, nothin’ much, just STARTING at offensive tackle in 33 games for the Maryland Terrapins, that’s all. And now he’s transferred to Rutgers as a graduate student. Just a FANTASTIC pickup. 

You know what’s funny, though? As bad as the O-line was, we somehow had two All-Big East caliber players on our squad—offensive guard Art Forst was All-First Team and guard Des Wynn was All Second Team.

This might be akin to when they gave Terry Shea the "Coach of the Year" honors back in '95. Like a subtle jab where other teams' coaches say, "Yeah, whatever you're doing...keep doing it!" and then laughing all the way back to their chalkboards. 

THE NAME GAME

Best Named Rutgers Commit: MLB Quanzell Lambert

Almost the Best Named Rutgers Commit:  LB Jazzmar Clax (offered as walk-on)

Best Named Overall 2012 Recruit (Excluding those of Polynesian descent): Boston College Offensive Tackle Win Homer

Early Lead for 2013 Best Named Overall: OLB Money Hunter (Torii Hunter’s son, FYI)

ROCK ON, WALK ON

One of the best indicators of the program’s progress is the quality of the walk-on talent we have gotten over the last few years. The prime example this past season was the hard-running, power-blocking, pass-catching, position-owning and completely unheralded fullback Michael Burton.

Paul James, another walk-on running back, is a promising young player who made some noise on the practice field last year with his bruising running style. 

Continuing the tradition this year is massive OT Sean Henigan of Bridgeton, NJ. At 6'7'', 330, Mr. Henigan had early offers to UNC and Duke, but those spots filled quickly. This is a GREAT pickup for a walk-on. 

We are also looking to take QB Grant Heyman, a 6’4” 205-pound dual-threat quarterback. And Rutgers should also be adding the slight-but-blazing athlete from Montclair, Aubrey Lewis, who was receiving steady interest before he injured his knee. And there’s a chance we could also bring in prep product, 6’3” 310lb lineman Dane Dudick—yet another big body. 

We were this close to having Jazzmar Clax as a preferred walk-on, but he took a full ‘ship at UConn instead. 

What I Like

I think what I like best about this class is the efficiency. More than 25 percent of our recruits are 4-stars or higher, and about 58 percent of the class is a high 3-star or above. The rest of the guys are all basically 3-stars. That’s efficient. Minimal waste.

I feel like the staff did a great job of landing high-end talent while limiting the low-end risks, which is key in a smaller class. And it probably goes without saying that I am over the moon about our incoming offensive linemen. 

What I Like About the New Coaching Staff

I like that our coaches can do some serious name-dropping out on the recruiting trail. Dave Brock coached arguably the best receiver on the Super Bowl champion Giants in Hakeem Nicks, as well as Green Bay revelation Jordy Nelson.

Jeff Comissiong coached Pro Bowl DT and NJ native, BJ Raji, while Ben Simrans coached my fantasy team backup, Javon Ringer (I had such high hopes for him). Plus, our new tight ends coach, Darnell Dinkins, earned a Super Bowl ring as a tight end with the Saints a few years ago. 

Most of the new coaches have Jersey roots in some way or another, which should help. And with better delegation under the new Flood regime, I can see the coaches getting excited to step up and take ownership of their areas. 

 

What I Don’t Like

Speed. I guess “class speed” is one of those things that suffers when you recruit a ton of offensive linemen. I just don’t see any whippets on either side of the ball, although I do see talent. 

What else, what else, what else...oh, right, the untimely and hasty departure of our head coach, the architect behind our entire program, and his decision to take our top two recruiting specialists with him.

Honorable Mention:  We may have taken on a few more academic risks than we normally would have—which would explain the fact that we signed 19 kids in a class that Schiano himself came out and said would probably only have 15 or 16 kids. 

What I Don’t Like About the New Coaching Staff

Enjoy it while it lasts. Turnover is turnover, no matter how you cut it. Not only are we losing just about every established connection at every local high school, but we are losing two of the very best in the business in PJ Fleck and Jeff Hafley. Can we resuscitate the pipelines? Sure we can—but it’s going to be a hard road ahead, particularly if we have a slow start on the field. I definitely foresee a step back on the recruiting front next year. 

Okay, that’s a lot of one man’s opinion.  It’s time to let another man weigh in (and then I will weigh in on his weigh in’s).  So, lady (singular) and gentlemen, let’s meet the Twenty Twelves: 

Darius Hamilton, DE, 5-star, 6.1 RR, 6-4, 245, Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, NJ)

Flood says: “I’ve seen Darius play live, and he is as disruptive a force as I’ve ever seen at the high school level. A guy who makes plays in the line of scrimmage on the interior, makes plays rushing the passer, he makes plays sideline to sideline. We’re really excited to have Darius in our program today.”

Jimmy says: This is just a tremendous recruit from both a football standpoint and a PR standpoint.  This guy is our biggest signing since Paul Robeson sent telegraphs and nickelodeons in the Northeast abuzz.  He had offers from USC, Florida, Ohio State, Oklahoma...literally, he could have gone to any of the 120 1-A schools in the country, and he committed just a day before NSD in front of regional television cameras. The guy has the bloodlines, the size, the skills, the nickname, and the drive to succeed early and (hopefully) often. He’s ALSO already a regular at the Hale Center gym and is very motivated to play this coming fall."

Chris Muller, OL, 4-star, 5.9 RR, 6-6, 287, Boyertown Area (PA)

Flood says: “I would put Chris in the same classification as Ryan Brodie, he’s another guy who, going forward, you say he has the skill set to be a left tackle. He’s exceptionally strong, really runs well for a guy of his size. In this recruiting class, he was a tremendous leader for us. He and Darius Hamilton and many others really [held] this recruiting class together over the last four or five days. You guys are going to enjoy being around Chris, he’s got a good personality.”

Jimmy says: "This guy is a candidate for most underrated just because I love his story. Penn State was hot on this guy and putting pressure on him to commit (this is pre-Sandusky scandal, back when Penn State actually had a decent class) and Muller didn’t like being pushed around. They gave him a deadline, he didn’t commit to them, missed the deadline, and then committed to Rutgers the very next day—almost like a big slap across the face to them, saying, “Oh, I AM ready to commit, I just don’t like you guys being pricks about it.

"Another tremendous recruit in an obvious position of need, tons of offers, all that...but where he is really underrated is as a recruiter.  He committed early (in June, the same day we learned that Ron Artest was changing his name to Metta World Peace), worked the phones with everybody, and was instrumental in landing our Pennsy guys and the O-linemen.  He (and the rest of the PA kids, oddly) were HUGE in voicing their commitments to Rutgers after Schiano’s departure, and instrumental in keeping the rest of the class committed as well.  He moves very well for his size, but might be better suited to playing guard instead of tackle.  Regardless, he was a huge brick in our recruiting wall this year."

Leonte Carroo, WR, 4-star, 5.8 RR, 6-1, 205, Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, NJ)

Flood says: “Leonte is lightning fast. All American track athlete, plays on their basketball team, excellent hands, great ball skills.  A strong finisher, he knows how to finish.” 

Jimmy says: "I like everything about Leonte Carroo. Great athlete?  Check. 4-star wide receiver? Check. Army All American? Check. College-level ready speed and physicality? Check. But it might be the off-field stuff I like the best. After he committed, he was (again) one of our best recruiters with the other recruits, even helping to reel in Ian Thomas, a guy who plays the same position as Leonte.

"He’s mentioned that Rutgers was his dream school since eighth grade. And after Schiano left, he talked about committing to the program, not a single man—which is probably a credit to both Carroo and Schiano, actually. And according to his coach, his best asset is his desire to improve himself. If you had to design the perfect recruit, it might come out looking a lot like Leonte Carroo."

J.J. Denman, OL, 4-star, 5.8 RR, 6-7, 305, Pennsbury (Fairless Hills, PA)

Flood says: “J.J. is a young man that I had in camp two years, and JJ is a roadgrader-type offensive lineman. Big, strong, barrel-chested, physical, a guy who plays with an attitude.  If you’re an offensive line coach, that’s the kind of guy you want to start with.” 

Jimmy says: "With Muller, Arcidiacono, and Nelson committed, and Brodie a strong lean, we always looked to have a “darn good” OL class. Denman, a late January commit, was the icing on the cherry on the whipped cream on top. This guy is a terror, just a huge lineman in (again!) a position of need. 

"Originally committed to PSU, he looked around after the Sandusky story broke, and quickly switched over to Wisconsin—which made sense, he is a typical Wisconsin-type kid, just a huge guy with great brute strength. Some Wisky fans even considered him their best recruit. 

"Somehow, though, Rutgers was able to get him on an official and he just really connected with the guys on the team and his fellow commits, so then he switched to Rutgers. How often does THAT happen? The guy is a great talent, and I would love a redshirt for him, but he might see time this year. Oh, and as weird as I am, I would never comment on a high school kid’s “barrel chest”. That’s just weird, Coach Flood."

Quanzell Lambert, LB, 4-star, 5.8 RR, 6-2, 230, Timber Creek (Sicklerville, NJ)

Flood says:  “Quanzell is...he is going to be our middle linebacker. He is going to be the guy who makes the calls, makes the adjustments. And then ultimately when the ball is snapped, he makes the plays.” 

Jimmy says:  That “WHAM!” sound you heard at the beginning of January?  That was just Quanzilla smacking down a running back at the Semper Fi All-American game. Or maybe that sound was him kickstarting our homestretch of January recruiting.

"Just a great pickup from a heat-seeking missile of a middle linebacker, an impressive physical specimen—and one that seemed destined to never happen. As much as Quanzell liked our coaches, our program and our school (he wants to be a mechanical engineer and really enjoyed seeing some students working on building cars), he seemed like a goner. Alabama was very interested early on, and it didn’t help that he is good friends with Quinton Alston, a 2011 kid that never got a Rutgers offer and ended up at Iowa. Some in the Alston clan were bitter and were in Q’s ear constantly about it.

"Somehow, through all of that, we locked him up late in the process, which is doubly great because Timber Creek looks to have possibly five D-1 kids on the team next year—like 2013’s version of Don Bosco—and many of his teammates look up to him."

Carlton Agudosi, WR, 3-star, 5.7 RR, 6-6, 203, Franklin, NJ

Flood says:  “Carlton is cut from the same mold as Brandon Coleman, already in our program.  Tall, long, a guy who is going to win the one-on-one matchups.  A guy who should be able to go up and get the deep balls, and we’re really excited about having him in our program.”

Jimmy says: "What does Carlton bring to the table? He has great size for a wide receiver, with almost disturbingly long arms. And while he isn’t smooth, he does a nice job of adjusting his body and going up and attacking the ball in the air. However, like Brandon Coleman, he might need a year or two of seasoning and bulking up before he becomes the weapon we hope he can be. While his long strides make him a downfield threat, he looks a little gangly in his route running. 

"On top of that, his grades were pretty awful early in his high school career, and while he has made strides, he might need to focus on academics first when he arrives on campus. Once he puts it all together, though, he could be a fantastic addition to our arsenal of receivers. If he bulks up enough, he could even fill the void at tight end. Regardless, I just want him to score a lot because I’m hoping to GOD that his touchdown dance is “The Carlton”.

Ryan Brodie, OL, 3-star, 5.7 RR, 6-5, 260, Long Branch, NJ

Flood says: “Ryan is going to be one of two guys that will be your prototypical NFL-type left tackles. I’ve had Ryan in our camp, and he really has all the tools, he’s got the skill set that you’re looking for in an offensive lineman. He’s got the height and the size and the length and he’s got the ability to change directions, he’s got the balance, keeps his body centered. He is a player that is going to be fun to watch for a long time.”

Jimmy says: "I hope that Coach Flood works Brodie HARD this summer, and really make him sweat—because Brodie made US sweat it out this entire year. Supposedly a "lock" back in April, he finally announced less than a week before NSD. I have pit stains on my undershirts that I can directly attribute to him. But he is a huge pickup for our O-line (unbelievable that he’s our THIRD highest-rated OL) and some think he may have the highest ceiling out of all of them. 

"I’m very excited about this kid, PLUS...he is the frontrunner to replace San San Te in the “varying hairstyles” department. We’ve seen the long and curly, a hightop fade, the long dreads, a blowout—but Brodie also ACCESSORIZES, sometimes putting on those black thick-rimmed geek-chic glasses that you can pull off if you’re a "hipster," if you're 5’8” and 120 pounds, OR if you're 6'5", 300lbs—because who is going to tell you otherwise? 

Steve Longa, LB, 3-star, 5.7 RR, 6-1, 207, Saddle Brook, NJ

Flood says:  “If I was going to compare Steve as a player to somebody, it would probably be Khaseem Greene. He’s that type of player, which in our defense is the WILL linebacker. He’s a guy who can really run, is physically strong, a guy who is really going to be fun to watch over the next couple of years. An excellent leader of young people.”

Jimmy says: "Longa is a very intriguing prospect, and a guy that I feel can be a sleeper in this class. Some have speculated he would make a great fullback, but I think he stays at the WLB spot. He is extremely athletic, has a great frame to pack on size and a terrific motor to go with it. A native of Cameroon, he still looks a little raw on the field, but I think the fact that he didn’t spend his life playing football might actually help him to not give up on plays, because he is absolutely relentless on the field.

A quality kid off the field, he was a monster at the combines and looked great this season (against weak comp, admittedly), taking his Saddle Brook team from pretender to contender. He could absolutely use some good coaching up, but is a guy I think we’ll be thrilled with 2 years down the road, if not sooner."

Ruhann Peele, WR, 3-star, 5.7 RR, 6-1, 170, Linden, NJ

Flood says: “Tremendous ball skills, tremendous ability to make the play, to make things happen when he has the ball, to make people miss. Ruhann’s going to be an excellent receiver for us.” 

Jimmy says: "I think I like Ruhann Peele. He likes to come in first. He was the first player to commit this year (back on April 18^th). He was also the first player to fax his letter in on NSD. I like that. He’s a go-getter. Ironically, he did face some academic hurdles earlier in his career, but hopefully, that has been cleared up. 

"On the field, I like his versatility. As a receiver, he maneuvers his body to make a play on the ball, has great hands, and runs good routes. He’s also got some experience returning kicks, and call me crazy, but I could see him developing into a defensive back.  But I dream..."

Julian Pinnix-Odrick, DE,3-star, 5.7 RR,6-5, 260,Montclair, NJ

Flood says: “Extremely disruptive defensive lineman. I watched him play in his state title game, I watched him make TFLs, I watched him personally sack the quarterback in the game and as a defensive, he’s not the guy who is just going to take up the blocks, he’s the guy that’s going to take on the blocks, get off the blocks, and ultimately make the play in the backfield.” 

Jimmy says: "I REALLY like JPO. While he committed to Rutgers in early summer, he wavered a bit in November, possibly due to the team’s mediocre record, conference upheaval, and who knows what else. That he somehow stuck it out after Schiano’s departure is a miracle amongst a field of miracles. He’s got the bloodlines (his half brother is Dolphins defensive lineman and former Penn State stud Jared Odrick), the size, the frame, the speed, and the talent—and he’s supposed to be a role model kid off the field. 

"He is still a bit raw and may need to work on his strength, but if he does, he could have NFL potential at the DE position. And while he is a true DE, he could actually play in a lot of     places—including the offensive line, where some people think he could have even more potential.  Possibly the best thing about him is that he is only starting to realize his potential as a DE, so he should develop into a very, VERY good player for us."

Ian Thomas, WR, 3-star, 5.7 RR, 6-1, 193, Franklin (Reistertown, MD)

Flood says:  “Ian Thomas is another receiver who makes plays when the ball is in his hands, makes people miss, can go and get the ball in a lot different places even if it’s not thrown perfectly, and then ultimately gets the ball in the endzone.” 

Jimmy says: "Ian Thomas was 2012’s Signing Day surprise. Sure, he was always ON the Rutgers radar, but as nothing more a faint blip, a “wishful thinking” type of recruit. No matter how often we heard, “We’re in pretty good with that Thomas kid from Maryland," it felt like it was just brushed off, mainly as a self-defense mechanism. 

"But come Signing Day morning, his LOI rolled in, and I’m pretty thrilled that it did. Here’s a guy with a laundry list of quality offers, and he is just a terrific receiver with a very solid build (think of him as the Anti-Tiquan). He runs precise routes with ease and quickness, has very soft hands, and a build that allows him to shrug off arm-tackles. He may also be the guy to carry on the Rutgers traditions of Maryland safeties, but that’s just me talking, and I think I’ve said that 3 times about other players already."

Brandon Arcidiacono, C, 3-star, 5.6 RR, 6-5, 250, Archbishop Wood (Warminster, PA)

Flood says:  “Brandon is going to be a center for us, very athletic, very quick to the second level. When I was the offensive line coach, I was really excited about coaching him. And now as the head coach, I know that our next offensive line coach is going to love him just the same.”

Jimmy says: "A down year for centers, I guess—or maybe they just don’t get the love they deserve. There are only two 4-star centers in the entire country, and Arcidiacono, for being “only” a 5.6 RR player, is still the sixth-best center in the nation.

"The thing that stands out about him the most is his speed and his motor – he does a nice job of getting downfield for blocks and plays until the final whistle. He’s probably a year or three away from contributing, but with an offensive line like ours, the sixth-best center in the country is a huge addition."

Davon Jacobs, ATH, 3-star, 5.6 RR, 6-0, 185, DePaul Catholic (Wayne, NJ)

Flood says:  “Davon is a corner from Depaul Catholic high school. We think Davon is a lockdown corner. Excellent feet, good quickness. Excellent change of direction, closing speed that you’re looking for in a corner. He’s going to be a good one for us.” 

Jimmy says: "I don’t want to rag on the guy—I just think he probably needs to improve his speed, his strength and his size to be anything more than backup at the next level. But Davon does have some things going for him: he is a gamer, one of those guys who is always around the ball, and a guy who just makes good things happen...but again, that was at the high school level. 

"He also had a very impressive offer list, so there must be something in his game that I’m missing. He’s smart and tough, though, so again, we might have to wait a year or two, but he could very well become a name we hear in a few years. And Coach Flood called him a 'lockdown corner.'  So I’m clearly going against the tide."

Blake Rankin, QB, 3-star, 5.6 RR, 6-4, 195, Bloomsburg, PA

Flood says: “Blake has the skill set of everything we were looking for in a quarterback moving forward. He’s got the height, he’s got the arm strength. He’s got the athleticism, and he’s got the speed—he was a sub-4.7 guy when we timed him here in the summertime live. Just an excellent young man, and really embodies everything you want in a quarterback, somebody that’s going to lead your team in-season and out.” 

Jimmy says: "Blake Rankin committed the morning of the spring game—before I even cracked open a beer, which was EARLY—and was probably the No. 1 quarterback recruit on our board.  While he wasn’t mentioned before, Rankin probably deserves a mention in the “Most Underrated” category if only because Rutgers was the only offer he had.

"At 6’4”, I like the fact that he has true QB size, and he has a great blend of accuracy and arm strength. He seems patient in the backfield, and seems to make great throws on short, intermediate AND long routes. Finally, while he is nowhere near Pat White (or even Jabulani Lovelace), he rushed for almost a THOUSAND YARDS and 16 TDs his senior year—to go along with 17 passing touchdowns with only 3 interceptions. With the depth we have at QB right now, redshirting him shouldn’t be an issue (thank God) and I think he could be deadly in a few years."

Jevon Tyree, ATH, 3-star, 5.6 RR, 5-11, 170, South Brunswick (Monmouth Junction, NJ)

Flood says: “Jevon is a guy that we really feel can help our corner depth as we move forward.” 

Jimmy says: "High praise from Coach Flood.  A tackling dummy with a fake ID could provide depth to our corner spot. However, Jevon was yet another Signing Day surprise, only this one really seemed out of nowhere. I really hadn’t heard much chatter about him, and then on NSD, he opted for the Knights over Georgia Tech.

"For a guy who came out of nowhere, though, he does have a very impressive offer list and some very nice film. With his speed and hips (and Coach Flood’s commentary), he will most likely play the CB position in college. However, he is supposedly cousins with both Mohammed Sanu AND David Tyree, so it would seem like we should at least give him a shot at WR—even if it’s just for a week."

Derrick Nelson, OL, 3-star, 5.5 RR, 6-4, 285, Archbishop Carroll (Washington, DC)

Flood says: “We had Derrick live in camp this summer, and Derrick is going to be an excellent inside player. He runs really well, you’re going to like the way he pulls, he’s already physically strong and he’s just going to get stronger here in our weight program. We’re excited to have Derrick coming up to us from Maryland.” 

Jimmy says: "Here’s a kid who didn’t have great grades as a freshman, but then his GPA rose every year. When he took the SAT, he received a qualifying score, meaning he could play ball at the college level, but he wasn’t satisfied, and thought he could do better. So he took an SAT course and bumped his score up 80 points. His coach tells a story of how Nelson is the first to practice and the last to leave.  One day, the coach was in his office when school was out for conferences and he looks out his window—and there is young Derrick, out there flipping a tire by himself. Yeah. I love Derrick Nelson. Every class needs a guy like Nelson. When you look at stars and rankings, he's an afterthought of a signing. But when you hear the stories of his dedication and work ethic, he's just one of those kids that you know will be an asset to the team, PLUS he's an offensive lineman. 

"We need to pick up an extra work-ethic-y O-lineman in EVERY class. Let's just do it for 3 years and see how it works out, that's all I ask. Nelson projects at the OG spot, and could be a nice diamond in the rough. He either plows people backwards or straight plants them, and he is very mobile for a guy his size. When Rutgers had him in camp, they couldn't offer him fast enough.  However, with that said—he didn’t field many other major offers.  K-State, ‘Cuse, Georgia Tech (with their emphasis on mobile linemen) and that was about it, really. So am I slightly worried about the fact that his hometown Terps didn’t recruit him? Yeah, a little. But if you’re going to take a risk, this is exactly the kind of kid you roll the dice on."

Desmon Peoples, RB, 5.5 RR, 5-7, 160, Archbishop Wood (Warminster, PA)

Flood says: “We really feel like Desmon’s the quickest running back in the country, bar none.  When he has the ball in his hands, boy, is he tough to get on the ground. We’re excited to get him here, and we’re excited to see what he can do for us here at Rutgers.”

Jimmy says: "While I think Coach Flood may be hyperbolizing, I do think very highly of Peoples. I’m not sure if he will end up as an RB or a slot WR in college (he has very good hands), but he’ll be dangerous in either spot. He doesn’t have great size or blue-chip speed, but he has tremendous vision, agility, patience, and can cut on a dime. He doesn’t even need the proverbial “hole”, but with his aforementioned lack of size, all he needs is a crack and he zips through it for a 7 yard gain. 

"He is dangerous in open space (one of my least favorite sports axioms, by the by—"dangerous in open space." Everyone is dangerous in open space. Everyone. I would CRUSH me some open space). Listed at 5’7”, and you KNOW they exaggerate measurables, he is a smaller and thicker back, and makes great use of  jukes and spins to evade tackles, making him reminiscent of the running back Rutgers fans just can’t seem to forget..."

Delon Stephenson, ATH, 5.5 RR, 5-11, 170, Sayreville Memorial (Parlin, NJ)

Flood says: “A last name you might recognize. A guy who can play a lot of different positions.  Delon can do a lot of things. I saw him right down at our stadium this winter in a state title game, I walked right out the tunnel, the game was already in progress, and I look up and the first play I see, Delon Stephenson makes an interception to help change the momentum of that game.”

Jimmy says: "Last year, when we recruited Daryl Stephenson, some speculated that it may have been a ploy to “get in good” with his younger sibling, Delon. That’s how highly people thought of Delon’s talent. Oddly, his commitment was barely noticed by many in recruiting circles. Delon committed in July, and at that point, with his commitment and that of Devin Jacobs, we had to tell Kye Morgan from Franklin, a top 10 kid in NJ, that there was no longer an available 'ship for him. A top ten kid in NJ, who WANTED to be at Rutgers...and he missed his shot because he waited too long. Interesting. Kye is a more complete footbal