Record football official visit weekend recap: ‘Rutgers is definitely a top school for me now’

Published Jun. 06, 2023, 10:02 a.m. By Todderick Hunt | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com Rutgers positioned itself well with its class of 2024 football targets heading into the official visit weekend after getting most of the recruits on campus this spring — especially out-of-state players who paid their own way. Hence, the interest of each guest was sincere despite the uncapped number of official trips recruits are allotted by the NCAA. There was no feeling out process between the two sides which allowed for a smooth weekend despite the logjam of talent in one place at one time. Greg Schiano earned three commitments over the weekend and could be closing in on more following a mass, yet targeted weekend which featured national recruits with more options. The weekend marked the most visitors Rutgers has hosted over one official visit weekend (23), and by a large margin. It was all hands on deck for Schiano and staff as well as and Rutgers’ veterans who were also put to work this weekend. Position coaches did things they don’t usually do, like chaffer recruits around campus — a task normally reserved for junior members of Rutgers’ recruiting staff. Meanwhile, veterans filled any holes rendered by the large group of guests. Aaron Lewis, Jordan Thompson and Dariel Djabome, for instance, carried the camaraderie that Rutgers’ d-line room has adopted under coach Marquise Watson, to the weekend. “I really enjoyed the people and the players,” said 6-foot-6, 230-pound Ohio defensive lineman Elijah King, who was accompanied to Rutgers by his mother, and who has official visits scheduled at Purdue on June 16 and Iowa on June 23. “I had a great time at Rutgers. Everyone spoke true to their word and I loved every minute of my trip. Rutgers is definitely a top school for me, now.” Rutgers senior wide receiver and Jacksonville native Isaiah Washington hosted Jason Patterson, a four-star running back from Sneads, Fla., who almost chose Rutgers after being courted for three days. “I definitely came close to committing,” said Patterson, who was accompanied to Rutgers by his parents and sister, and who discussed being a tandem with St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, N.J.) four-star running back Yasin Willis, who posted an offer from the University of Alabama on Monday, coming off his trip to Piscataway. Willis was hosted by Rutgers veteran running back Kyle Monangai — a Big North connection that Schiano hopes showed Willis that he could get all the touches he can handle at Rutgers. The pairings were strategic. Florida three-star offensive tackle Raynor Andrews — who chose Rutgers midway his trip, and who is one of three commitments to come from Norland high school in Miami over the weekend — was hosted by Ireland Brown, who 6-foot-6, 305-pound junior can relate to. The Luman twins, Tyclean and Tycoolhill, who pledged to Schiano in his office in the wee hours of Sunday morning, were hosted by veteran defensive linemen Wesley Bailey and D.J. Djabome, who hail from Canada like them. Rutgers wide receivers Ian Strong and Dylan Braithwaite, who could play as true freshmen this fall, and their high school teammates Josiah Brown and Korey Duff Jr. — priority Rutgers targets from New York City ranked four-stars — were inseparable throughout the weekend. Rutgers is trending well with Duff, who will visit UNC and Miami before calling one of the three schools home. Meanwhile, Brown, who almost chose Rutgers last year, was joined by his mom and dad. The recruiting wins that Rutgers has had in New York City and the four players being best friends gives Schiano a chance to dramatically boost his offense in one fell swoop. Syair Torrence, a junior wide receiver from Christian Brothers Academy in Syracuse, flew in from upstate New York alongside fellow three-star and 6-foot-6, 305-pound offensive lineman Colin Cubberly, from Arlington high school in Lagrangeville, N.Y., who soaked up Rutgers’ spoils before he heads to Wisconsin next weekend, and Pitt after that. Rutgers quarterback pledge A.J. Surace, a junior at Notre Dame high school in Lawrence Township, was hosted by Rutgers freshman tight end Logan Blake, who played in the MAPL while Surace competed in the Colonial Valley Conference nearby. Rutgers’ quarterback of the future, Surace put on his recruiter hat and did just that for three days, urging Rutgers’ top targets to join him in Piscataway. Four-star wide receiver and Rutgers commit Isaiah Crumpler, from Conley high in Greenville, N.C., courted Andrews and the Luman twins, who all chose Rutgers before flying back to Miami International Airport on Sunday. Monte Keener, Rutger’s tight end pledge from Linden high in Michigan, who is all of 6-foot-6, physical and is a multi-sport athlete who continues Rutgers’ trend of adding size, was hosted by Victor Konopka, who shares those same traits. Surace, Keener and Crumpler fielded questions from uncommitted targets who considered joining their cause. Surace, for instance, who picked Rutgers over offers from Tennessee, Michigan State, Duke, Indiana, Boston College, Northwestern and Pitt, was in the same boat as fellow visitors with large offer lists, and shared why he stayed home. Rutgers’ approach is more targeted than most schools which spread their official visits out over the month of June. Rutgers hosts targets for two weekends this month, not four like some schools, which reserve the latter weekends for back-up targets, who they, frankly, hope not to need. Strategy and respective recruit calendars determined which of the two weekends visitors were scheduled to officially visit Rutgers. Benjamin Black, a speedy wide receiver from Mallard Creek in North Carolina, was hosted by Rashad Rochelle who hails from Illinois – two playmakers from out-of-state, but not too far, and who bonded over that. “I put a lot of thought into committing,” Black to NJ Advance Media on Sunday. “I was really close.” De’Andre Cook, from Friendship Academy, and who will let his recruitment play out, bonded with D.D. Holmes, from Gonzaga — a fellow blue-chip defensive lineman from Washington, D.C. “We met each other at a previous visit to Rutgers and have been cool ever since,” said Cook, who was joined on his visit by his mother and three brothers. Meanwhile, Don Bosco (Ramsey, N.J.) defensive tackle Jordan Thomas has NFL tangibles, standing 6-foot-6 and 305 pounds, but is hard to read with the University of Georgia and the nation’s biggest schools on his back. He has visits upcoming — to Georgia, Michigan and the University of South Carolina — and who knows what will come after that. But Rutgers took its best swing over the course of three days and will fight for state’s premiere player, who is already more physically developed than some of Rutgers’ veteran defensive linemen, until he signs.