Rutgers adds 11th official visitor to commit list as 6-6, 240-pound DE Elijah King picks Knights

By Todderick Hunt | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com Rutgers defensive line coach Marquise Watson is off somewhere smiling right now after Rutgers secured a pledge from Elijah King, a 6-foot-6, 240-pound three-star defensive end from Gahanna Lincoln high school in Columbus, Ohio, with upside and athleticism. King visited Rutgers during the first official visit weekend of June and left campus with a high opinion of the Scarlet Knights. “It was the people and the players, I had a great time there,” King said following his exit interview on June 4. “Everyone was true to their word and I loved every minute of it. “Rutgers is definitely a top school for me.” Rutgers’ fourth pledge from the Midwest this cycle, King was hosted by freshman defensive lineman D.J. Allen, who hails from Indiana. However, it was a full defensive line effort, featuring cameos by veterans Aaron Lewis and Wesley Bailey, that allowed King to gauge the camaraderie of the group. King visited the Purdue Boilermakers on June 16, following Rutgers, and was scheduled to officially visit Indiana University, where he is being recruited primarily by defensive line coach Paul Randolph and co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Matt Guerrieri, this weekend. However, the buck stops here, and King will take no further trips after identifying Rutgers as his new home. King picked Rutgers over 18 schools, including Indiana, Purdue, Iowa, Iowa State, Kentucky, Minnesota, West Virginia and Cincinnati. Rutgers tight ends coach Andrew Aurich, among others, played a role in adding King, whose size and skills will impact Rutgers’ defensive line depth, to the fold.